Media release

PAFE Demands By-Elections to Fill Vacant Trustee Positions in Waterloo

TORONTO—May 18, 2023 The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) has decided to appoint, rather than to elect, the trustees who will fill two currently vacant positions. Parents As First Educators (PAFE) demands that the board reverse that decision immediately.

The two WRDSB vacancies were created as a result of the death of Trustee Fred Meissner, and the resignation of Trustee Marie Snyder.

“We are now barely six months into a four-year term, and it is unacceptable that self-interested and power-hungry politicians have taken it upon themselves to appoint those who will make huge decisions for the next three and a half years,” observed PAFE President, Teresa Pierre.

The WRDSB voted 6-3 at a meeting on the night of May 16 to appoint the two new trustees, rather than call a by-election.

The trustees who voted against the by-election were: Joanne Weston, Kathleen Woodcock, Carla Johnson, Scott Piatkowski, Maedith Radlein, and Meena Waseem.

The three trustees who voted for a by-election were: Mike Ramsay, Cindy Watson and Bill Cody.

Pierre continued, “The board’s vote to appoint the trustee positions, instead of electing them, concentrates the decision-making power into a few hands, and is a slap in the face to the notion of democracy! Shame on the WRDSB for choosing the ‘no democracy’ option. The people have the right to decide who represents them. Let the people decide!”

There is also currently a vacancy at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB), as a result of the resignation of Wendy Ashby, who had been embroiled in controversy after anti-white and anti-Christian social media posts she had made came to light.

A special meeting to decide whether or not to call a by-election ha been called by the WCDSB for the evening of May 24, 2023.

“The constituents of all these districts deserve the chance to examine the candidates and make their choice as voters in a by-election,” said Pierre.