Publicly funding Catholic schools has been key item for debate at the legislature this spring The Yukon government either doesn’t know or won’t disclose how much of its money goes towards funding the territory’s three Catholic schools. While speaking with reporters in the Yukon government cabinet office on March 25, Education Minister Jeanie McLean said she didn’t have the information on her but would be happy to provide it later. Jordan Owens, the director of cabinet communications, indicated the question had been previously answered, and the government can’t provide a breakdown in that regard. The News had been going back and forth with the department by email for two weeks prior on the matter. Cabinet communications advised the News to file a formal request for the funding information under access-to-information, commonly known as ATIPP, law. In turn, the News formally requested the total Department of Education funding for Catholic schools for 2023-24 under ATIPP. Catholic schools are funded using a formula based on factors like student enrolment, programming needs and school size, according to Michael Edwards in communications for the Education department. With funding allocated by school authority, the Yukon government’s budget doesn’t break down spending by individual school or by Catholic versus non-Catholic schools, Edwards said by email. Catholic schools fall under Yukon Education as opposed to the First Nation School Board or the Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon, the French school board. The News reached out to the bishop’s office to inquire about how much the Yukon government provides to Catholic schools, and offer an opportunity for the Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Whitehorse or the Roman Catholic Diocese of Whitehorse to make its case around funding Catholic schools, but didn’t get a response by publication. The topic of publicly funded Catholic schools has been a major issue for debate this spring since Yukon NDP Leader Kate White took a stance on defunding Catholic schools. McLean challenged the NDP to add defunding Catholic schools to its election campaign platform. “Government of Yukon supports Catholic schools by covering the cost of education materials related to curriculum,” McLean told MLAs during debate on the Department of Education budget. When asked by White to clarify if that includes religious textbooks, Bibles or reading material, McLean said she would bring back more information around the materials. “The Government of Yukon supports Catholic schools by covering the costs of educational materials, including funding for Catholic religion coordinators, while the Catholic Episcopal Corporation provides religious instruction and training,” McLean said. “For Christ the King Elementary School, there is an assigned 0.5 position; Holy Family Elementary School has a 0.3 position; and St. Francis of Assisi secondary school has one FTE (full-time equivalent). So, there is a total of 1.8 FTEs that are provided.” Based on the information from the minister and by White’s back-of-the-napkin math, she estimated the Yukon government has spent around $3.3 million on Catholic schools teaching religious education since 2006. It costs $25 per student or $45 per family out of pocket each year to attend Yukon Catholic schools, according to the government website. White clarified to reporters on March 25 that, while she knows where she stands, it would be a decision for Yukoners to make, potentially through a plebiscite, on whether the Yukon government should fund Catholic education altogether. Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
Yukon government won’t disclose how much it funds Catholic schools
