A Seismic Shift in Ontario – Update on DRP, Jan 17, 2020    This week on CBC Radio One’s Ontario Today, Renu Mandhane, Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission announced that she was opening an enquiry into Ontario students and the right to read. Her commission sees literacy as a basic human right which this province is not providing to 30% of its students. The first public meeting was recently held in Oakville. Thank you to Angela Macri for uncovering this opportunity.    Here is a link to the podcast - https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/ontario/ontario-today/    I have contacted the CBC, received a podcast of the interview. I also contacted the OHRC alerting them of our work and asking for more information. I contacted Todd Smith’s office, as he has responsibility as Minister of Ontario’s Children , Social and Community Services Ministry. He could help bring our solution to this issue as a proven research-based “Ontario produced” solution to the enquiries’ concerns.    I have also notified Wilf Wilkinson so that any Rotary interests will not be lost. If I do not get an appropriate response withn a few days, I will begin to contact the national newspapers beginning with the Toronto Star. We do have a story to tell. We can change the lives of children struggling with learning how to read.   The hiatus continues on our product development for another two weeks. I have spoken with Michael Summers of Nesda regarding this OHRC news and have assurances that our development will be back on track as we agreed. We have made the fourth and final payment to Nesda based on their original cost estimate. We have now spent approximately $2,500.00 more than expected because we had not factored in service costs for our existing Maloney Method website as it was altered to accomodate the digital program.    Andrew Gilchrist is diligently editing the first 60 lessons.    I have developed a pilot marketing project to have Rotary clubs of New Orleans buy subscriptions for some of the 74 Charter schools of New Orleans. Ninety-three percent of NOLA students are enrolled in charter schools.   Wilf Wilkinson, Past Rotary International President, is assisting us by determining and making contact with the appropriate Rotarians in the region. Once we can determine their interest, we will begin to approach the schools. I will notify you next week as usual about any news. Regards and thanks,  Michael
