SPRINGWATER NEWS July 20-09 for July 23 edition

MPP DUNLOP:  PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF WITH LITERACY FUNDING

A recent announcement by the Ontario Government is proof that the Opposition can be effective in forcing the government to act. My continuing efforts to secure adequate funding for community-based literacy programs were finally rewarded with an Ontario government announcement of $25 million for literacy and essential skills training.

Because I feel very passionate about this issue, I worked tirelessly with literacy groups to convince this government that lack of basic skills like reading and writing are holding back far too many people in this province from gainful employment.

My literacy resolution received all-Party support in the legislature on February 26, 2009. The resolution called on the Ontario government to “provide adequate funding to community-based literacy and basic skills programs so that the agencies can properly address the growing enrolment.”  I also asked the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities on two occasions during Question Period to act on the resolution.

Sue Bannon, the President of Laubach Literacy Ontario, which represents 55 literacy agencies across Ontario was also really pleased and commented to the media, “This is a great news day for literacy and basic skills programs across Ontario. We would like to give special recognition and thanks to Garfield Dunlop who brought this issue, on our behalf, to Queen’s Park. We couldn’t have done it without him.”

The Laubach Literacy Ontario presented me with a special one-time award at their recent annual conference in Barrie. I was also recognized for my efforts to promote the importance of literacy skills and the organizations that provide them in the Ontario legislature. I was truly honoured to receive such recognition.

The whole area of literacy is a huge problem and funding is only part of the solution. The next challenge will be getting more people to volunteer with literacy groups and providing the resources to allow them to expand their services.