Ontario’s Education Minister, Jill Dunlop, has announced plans to investigate a $145,000 summer trip to Italy undertaken by four trustees from the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board.
The trip, intended for the purchase of religious statues, has sparked controversy over its financial justification.
In a statement to The Toronto Star, Dunlop expressed concern over the board’s decision, calling it a “serious lack of fiscal responsibility and judgment.” She noted that the spending has failed students, parents, and the broader community.
The trip, first reported by The Brantford Expositor, revealed that the trustees spent $45,000 on travel to acquire religious items valued at $100,000. The statues are intended for a new high school being built in Brantford, which the board hopes will serve as its “flagship” institution.
Dunlop’s office has indicated that a review of the expenses will be conducted to assess the appropriateness of the expenditure.
Written by Matt LeBlanc