This petition was spearheaded by Jennifer Bugden in Munster, along with a number of other parents. It’s called “Petition in Support of Reopening Munster Elementary School.” It has over 700 signatures so far, Madam Speaker. The petition reads as follows:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) made the decision to close Munster Elementary School in 2015 due to low enrolment, and a significant factor causing low enrolment was the OCDSB’s failure to offer early French immersion programs; and

“Whereas the closure of Munster Elementary School in 2015 has had a detrimental impact on the education and overall well-being of children in Munster Hamlet, Ottawa, and many community members have witnessed the hardships that Munster Hamlet’s children face on a daily basis due to the closure of Munster Elementary School, including but not limited to enduring long bus rides averaging 45 minutes each way; and

“Whereas reopening Munster Elementary School would significantly reduce travel time for Munster Hamlet’s children, allowing them to spend more time on their studies, extracurricular activities, and quality time with their friends and families; and

“Whereas the reopening of Munster Elementary School would foster a stronger sense of community among parents, students, educators and community organizations and would provide opportunities for local engagement and collaboration in shaping the educational experience of Munster Hamlet’s children; and

“Whereas by reopening Munster Elementary School, Munster Hamlet’s children would receive the individual attention they need to thrive academically in a local setting; and

“Whereas a thriving local school has positive economic implications for the entire community, attracting families looking to settle in an area with strong educational infrastructure and contributing to increased property values; and

“Whereas the OCDSB has no interest in reopening Munster Elementary School and is preventing public use by the community for other local events, in order to make the case that the facility is unused and must be sold to a private entity to be used for non-educational purposes;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“That the Minister of Education direct the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to either provide a plan to reopen Munster Elementary School or, if the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board refuses to reopen Munster Elementary School, to make use of section 194 of the Education Act, R.S.O 1990, to allow other school boards,” for example, French and Catholic, “to purchase the property so that they can reopen the empty school in Munster Hamlet, Ottawa.”

I proudly affix my signature to this petition and will be giving it to page James, who, by the way, is from Carleton.