The Cathoric Education Council of Newfoundland and Labrador A Case Study in Interest Articulation by Michelle T. Clemens A thesis submitted in @al kifilment of the requirements fcr the degree of Master of Education in the Faculty of Education University of Manitoba O May 1999 National Library Bibliothèque nationale I*I of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services senrices bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Weüîngtori Ottawa ON K1A ON4 CmawaON KIAW Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence aiiowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distnbute or sel1 reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfomy vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de rnicrofiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. 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THE UlWVERSITY OF MANïTOBA FALULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES et+** COPYRIGET PERMISSION PAGE The Catholic Education Councii of Newfoundliad and Labrdor: A Case StPdy in Intertst Articril.tion A Tbesis/R8ctlcum submittd to the Facrrlty of Graduate Studiu of The University of Manitoba in partial fPIfillmeiit of the rcqpficments of the degree of Permission hu ben grantecl to the Libnry of The University of Manitoba to lend or WU copies of thir thtsis/prricticum, to the Nationai Wbrvy ofC.niid8 to micmtllm this th& and to lend or seil copies of the film, and to Dirscrtrt40ns Abstmdr hte~lllîionilto publhh m abstract of asthesis/pncticum. The author reserves other publication rights, rnd neitâer tbir thesWpncticum nor extensive extracts fiom it miy be printed or othecwise reproduced without the ruthor's dtten permission. Acknowledgments 1firsî wish to acknowledge the guidance and advice of my cornmittee members, Dr. John Long (chair), Dr. John Stapleton and Professor Emeritus Kenneth Osborne, with particular thanks to Dr. Long for his patience (and creativity) in deaiing with an out of province student Thanks also to rnany individuals, especiaily Dr. Philip Warren, Mr. Clyde Wells, Mr. Peter Sutherland, Mr. Gerald Fallon, Mr- Doug Letto, Dr. Robert Crocker and Mr. Sandy Goulding, who gave of their time and experience during this protracted case study. 1 also want to acknowledge, posthumously, the help of Dr. Austin Harte formerly of Memorial University's Faculty of Education, whose early questions and suggestions helped to focus the research To Dr. Grassier of the Political Science Department, Memorial University, a thank you for chats which reassured me that I was interpreting the flavour of the case appropriately. To Simon Lono and Roz Jachnan of Executech Transcriptions and Business Services for their support of this graduate sîudent. Finally, of course, 1 say thank you to rny family, particularly my mother and husband for their support and prodding through the whole thesis joumey, and to my father and steprnother for recognizing, like Virginia Woolf, that writers need a room of their own, and giving me one in their house. A bstract Historically the school system in Nedoundland and Labrador has been organized on denominational lines. In 1992, the Royal Commission on Education tabled its report afier a public study into the organization and deliveq of pMnary* elementary and secondary education in that province. A focal recommendation of the report was to reorganize schools along neighbourhood liaes and not denominational lines and to drastically alter the input and control that the chwches had over the school system in that province. This recommendation by the Commission met with strong resistance by al1 of the churches with a vested interest in education- The Roman Catholic Church saw its legis lativel y mandated Catholic Education Council as an important vehicle in any attempt to prevent this shift in governance from taking place. As a body regulatory of Catholic schools and advisory to the Minister of Education and the Cabinet, the CEC engaged in a process of interest articulation with the provincial government using its institutional status and legal pwea to sustain its role as a denominational advocate. This study examines its advocacy role especially during 1993 - 95, when cornpethg propos& of school govemance were advanced by the CEC (along with other churches), and by the government. The study shows that the decision of the government to hold a referendum on schwling arrangements and to pas a constitutional resolution to reduce the dominance of the churches in school govemance was a significant loss for the CEC, especially in light of the subsequent developments - a second referendum and a new constitutional resolution. The study concludes that, in the final analysis, the CEC failed to prevent a reorganization of the governance of schools in the province along non- denominational Iines and that the Ioss of the referendum in 1995 was the beginning of the end of denominationalism in the schooI system of Newfoundand and Labrador. iii CHAPTER 5 THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION COUNCIL AS AN INTEREST GROUP ................... 72 The Denominational Issue and the Interests of the CEC ................................................. 72 Specific Efforts of the CEC to Advance Its Interests ..................................................... 73 NOTES ..................... .. ............................................................................................. 83 CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................ -87 What Were the Interests of the CEC Dunng 1993-95? ................................................... 87 How Did the CEC Pursue Its Interests?......................................................................... 88 Was the CEC Successful in Advancing its Interests? .....................................................90 Epilogue: Was the CEC "Guardian of a Ghost"? ............................................................ 93 Suggestions for Further Study...................................................................................... LOO Postscript ..................................................................................................................... 101 NOTES ....................................................................................................................... 103 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................... 106 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................ 115 APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................. 116 Terms of UnionTerm 1 7................................................................................... 117 APPENDM B ....................... .. ................................................................................ 118 List of Recommendations Pertaining to Denominational Schools ..................... 119 APPENDIX C ....................... .............................................................................. 122 Interview Schedule .......................... ... ........................................................ 123 APPENDIX D ........................................................................................................... 125 Mission Statement of the CEC ......................................................................... 126 APPENDIX E ............................................................................................................. 127 Referendum Question 1995 .............................................................................. 128 APPENDIX F.............................................................................................................. 130 Section 43 of the Constitution Act, 1982 .......................................................... 131 APPENDIX G ............................................................................................................. 132 Report on Plebiscite, 1995 ............................................................................... 133 APPENDIX H............................................................................................................. 135 Referendum Question 1997 .............................................................................. 136 List of Figures Figure 1 School District Mode1 ...................................................................................... 32 Figure 2 Provincial Mode1 ............................................................................................. -36 NATURE OF THE STUDY Background and Purpose of the Study In 1992, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador pubiished Our Children, Our Future, a Royal Commission study of schooling in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador-' The Commission said it "rejected the proposition that fine-tuning the existing system could adequately address the problems confronting it" and instead, pro posed reform incl uding ... the development of