Remembering Dr. Charles Pascal, C.M.

The College of Early Childhood Educators (the College) mourns the passing on April 24, 2023 of Dr. Charles Pascal, C.M, an internationally renowned Canadian educator and passionate voice for early childhood education in Ontario.

An expert in early and higher education, public policy and leadership development, Dr. Pascal was a Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto; a former president of Sir Sandford Fleming College; and former deputy minister of education in Ontario. He also served as advisor to leading early childhood organizations around the world, and was recognized with numerous honourary doctorates and awards. In 2015, he was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada for public service and for his contributions to public education in Canada.

Among his countless achievements, his most enduring legacy is his role in the creation of the Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) program in our province. In 2007, as an Early Years Special Advisor on Early Learning to then Premier Dalton McGuinty, his insights and expertise led to the seminal 2009 report, With Our Best Future in Mind, Implementing Early Learning in Ontario, in which he outlined his vision and action plan for supporting the Province’s early learning vision.

We are deeply grateful for Dr. Pascal’s tremendous contributions to early childhood education in Ontario. His work has shone a light on the critical role that early childhood educators play in creating an integrated system of supports for the well-being of young children, and by the implementation of his recommendations, he enhanced the lives of children and families across the province. Our sincere condolences go out to his family.