b'ADVOCACY COMMITTEEREPORTAs one of three priority areas in the CSBA 2019-2022 Strategic Plan, the Advocacy Committee met regularly this year to ensure action and progress on the associated advocacy goals.The CSBA works with member associations to advocate for local democratic voice. The release of Bill 64 in Manitoba was of particular concern throughout the past year. The impressive leadership and community engagement efforts of the Manitoba School Boards Association was a significant factor in the government backing down on its intention to reduce or eliminate school boards. The CSBA awaits the reimplementation of school boards in PEI and will continue to monitor and communicate with the PEI Premier and Minister of Education and Lifelong Learning. There are ongoing challenges with the reduction of autonomy and authority of English school boards inQuebec. Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) and Alliance for the Promotion of PublicEnglish-language Education (APPELE) provided exemplary leadership and legal action in the fight to retain and reinstate full rights of school boards. The CSBA continues to take direction from QESBA in its support of legal appeal and public communication. The new Conservative government platform in Nova Scotia included a commitment to reinstate school boards. The CSBA immediately wrote to the new Premier and Minister of Education and Early ChildhoodDevelopment to call on them to follow-up on this commitment and to offer assistance. The CSBA continues work with New Brunswick District Education Council leaders to call on the premier and government to maintain local democratically elected education governance. We were pleased to collaborate with the francophone sector as well as CSBA board member NBDEC in letters to the Premier and Minister and the publication of an Op-Ed. The recent release of a report in Newfoundland and Labrador to centralize public services is of grave concern for education. We are taking direction from our NL board member as the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District attempts to work with the provincial government to maintain a democratically elected voice in public education. The contrast between jurisdictions where local democratic voice has been eliminated or reduced, and with provinces where there is a collaborative governance approach, is quite dramatic. The ongoing leadership of the BCSTA and SSBA and the resulting support of citizens and government are leading examples ofcollaboration that should be models for other jurisdictions.The CSBA has recognized the lack of objective research related to the impact of the elimination of school boards. An RFQ is underway to conduct an arms length study on the impact of the loss of locally elected school boards in Nova Scotia and Quebec in support of all provinces and territories. The 2021 Advocacy Event took place virtually in May and June. Board members met with staff and political leaders from more than 20 ministries whose mandate overlaps with public education. This event provides an opportunity for federal leaders to deepen their understanding of the roles and importance of local democratic governance, and to identify ongoing and new areas for collaboration in a number of shared educationalpriorities. We are looking forward to a face-to-face event in May 2022. Laurie FrenchChair, Advocacy Committee 14'