Ontario's Premier Accountability Dashboard · Queen's Park Watch
Heather Watt
Peel District School Board (Supervisor)
Former Chief of Staff to Ontario PC Health Minister Christine Elliott (2018–2022). Appointed by Education Minister Paul Calandra as supervisor of the Peel District School Board in March 2026, replacing Calandra who had briefly served in the role. No prior education sector experience. Her appointment raised concerns about political patronage and the marginalization of anti-Black racism and equity programs at Peel.
Connected Scandals
The Ford government stripped elected trustees of all authority at 8 of Ontario's largest school boards — covering 750,000 students — installing politically-connected supervisors and passing legislation that removed the courts as a check on ministerial power.
Appointed PDSB supervisor in March 2026. Her appointment was flagged by The Pointer as reflecting political patronage — she was Chief of Staff to PC Health Minister Christine Elliott 2018–2022 with no education background. The Black Trustees' Caucus warned her appointment would erode anti-Black racism oversight.
Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra is preparing legislation to abolish elected trustees across English public school boards — eliminating a century of local democratic governance — after spending a year seizing 8 of Ontario's largest boards under "public interest" powers his own government wrote into law.
Appointed as provincial supervisor of the Peel District School Board (PDSB) following its takeover in early 2026. A former Chief of Staff to PC Health Minister Christine Elliott (2018–22) with no education background, her appointment raised concerns about the marginalization of anti-Black racism equity programs at the board. The Pointer reported on her PC political connections and lack of education experience.