Education Minister Paul Calandra’s first action of the fall sitting suggests his focus on eliminating trustees hasn’t shifted, tabling legislation to remove one individual accused of refusing to repay the cost of a controversial trip to Italy.
Last July, Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board trustee Mark Watson was one of four elected education officials who went on a trip to Italy to purchase artwork.
The total cost of the trip was roughly $45,000, with a further $100,000 spent on artwork. The overseas mission sparked widespread outrage and led to an apology from the board.
An investigation ordered by the government revealed several expenses, including a visit by the four trustees to an Italian Michelin star restaurant where they ordered four courses priced at 126 euros each, along with 216 euros on wine. Managing the fallout of the trip cost another $63,000 in legal fees.
Calandra told the trustees they must repay their trip expenses and, according to the ministry, three of them did. At the end of June, however, Calandra said Watson had not done so and threatened to table legislation to “fire” him.
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A month later, in July, Calandra’s office said Watson had stopped responding to their messages entirely.
On Monday, the first day the legislature returned from a lengthy break, Calandra tabled a bill he said would, if passed, make good on his threat to remove Watson from his position.
“Despite clear expectations communicated to the trustee and a repayment deadline set out in April, one of the four Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board trustees has failed to reimburse taxpayers for his share of a trip to Italy that amounted to approximately $50,000 in travel costs, an expense that was both excessive and unjustifiable,” a statement from Calandra read.
“Today, I introduced legislation that, if passed, would remove the trustee from Haldimand County from office and bar him from running for a trustee position in any school board in the 2026 municipal elections. He will be ineligible to fill a trustee vacancy on any Ontario school board until after November 14, 2030.”
A report from an investigator appointed to look at the Italy trip taken by the Haldimand County suggested Watson’s expenses were over $11,000.
The ministry’s report shows that as of March 6, Watson had repaid $1,216.71 of $12,370. It is not clear if he has made any payments since that date.
Originally, the four trustees — including Watson — had responded to the public furor over their trip by agreeing to repayment plans worth around $12,000 each. They all opted for roughly $130 to $250 each month, stretching their final repayment deadlines to between 2026 and 2028.
When he was appointed minister, Calandra said the timeline was not reasonable and requested immediate payment. His office said all but Watson had complied.
“If the trustee is unwilling to meet the basic standards of accountability, then he should no longer hold a position of public responsibility,” Calandra’s statement read.
Watson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The proposed legislation comes as Calandra mulls massive education reform, which could involve eliminating trustees at English public boards and stripping those at the Catholic boards of many of their responsibilities.
The Ford government has said that may be necessary because of mismanagement and overspending, but critics say it will reduce accessibility for parents and stifle accountability.
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