Canadian Teachers Federation

Fdration canadienne des enseignantes et des enseignants

June 23, 2016

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.

Prime Minister of Canada
Langevin Block
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister:

On May 13th and 14th of this year, I had the pleasure of meeting with teacher colleagues
from the United States and Mexico at the 12th Conference of the Tri-National Coalition in
Defense of Public Education. On June 19th, I was shocked to learn of the deaths of eight
people including six teachers in Mexico perhaps even some of those who I had been
working with just over a month ago.
Since May 15th teachers in Mexico have been protesting changes to their education
system that they believe will adversely impact the profession and the education of
Mexican children. These changes include a requirement for teachers to regularly sit
standardized written exams that could lead to dismissal; the elimination of Mexicos
national system of teacher training schools (that have traditionally been the vehicle for
children from poor families to become trained educators); and, the removal of the
requirement to be a certified teacher to teach in Mexicos public system.
Canada has experience with disagreements between teachers and government policy
makers over very similar issues. These have even, on occasion, led to protests. We
believe that these disagreements should never lead to violence and can normally be
resolved through dialogue or if necessary the courts.
As a teacher, you understand the frustration created when well-meaning individuals try
to control our profession without consultation. While it may be agreed that both sides in
this dispute believe they are acting in the best interest of the Mexican education system,
the lessons taught over the last few weeks are not easily corrected.
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2490 Don Reid Ottawa ON K1H 1E1 Tel./Tl. 613-232-1505 Fax 613-232-1886 info@ctf-fce.ca www.ctf-fce.ca

President/Prsidente Heather Smith Secretary General/Secrtaire gnrale Cassandra Hallett DaSilva

Past President/Prsidente sortante Dianne Woloschuk
Vice-Presidents/Vice-prsident(e)s Norm Gould, Carol Jolin, Gayla Meredith, H. Mark Ramsankar

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.

Page 2

It is our understanding that, since May 15, this wave of violence has included:
- The killing of six teachers and two parents;
- Wounding of a further 45 teachers and parents, by Mexican security forces;
- Abduction and imprisonment (in high security facilities) of 7 executive members
of the democratic teachers movement,
- Firing of 8,000 teachers, for participating in the demonstrations or refusing to sit
new standardized exams.
As you have so clearly demonstrated, governments must be open to consultation and
compromise. It is only through this openness that citizens will experience the justice that
is their right. As you meet with Mexicos President next week, we are asking that you
take the opportunity to address this human rights violation by encouraging dialogue at
the national and local levels so that the voice of teachers is heard and listened to.
Thank you for your attention to this. We would be pleased to provide further support or
information as it becomes available should you require it.
Yours sincerely,

Heather Smith,
President
c.c.

The Hon. Stphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Susan Hopgood, President, Education International
Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers
Lily Eskelsen Garcia, President, National Education Association