Dear Friends,
The McGuinty Government’s legislation to impose a contract on Ontario’s teachers and school boards is a cynical and reckless ploy to pick up votes in the by-elections in Kitchener-Waterloo and Vaughan and win back majority power.
The McGuinty Liberals are manufacturing a crisis in education where none exists. There was never a threat to disrupt classes in September and from the outset the province’s teachers have been willing to accept a wage freeze for 2 years. It is unfortunate that the McGuinty Government has failed to negotiate in good faith with the province’s teachers and school boards.
The McGuinty Government’s legislation will lead to a challenge in the Supreme Court of Canada where it could be overturned and cost Ontarians hundreds of millions of dollars in legal costs and penalties. In 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned a legislated wage freeze for 9600 healthcare workers in British Columbia stating that it violated the right to a process of collective bargaining under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
It is no surprise that Ontario Conservative leader Tim Hudak who wants to impose a wage freeze on all Ontario’s public servants is also supporting McGuinty’s reckless wage scheme.
Instead of imposing an unconstitutional wage scheme in a desperate attempt to win the by-elections, the McGuinty Government should allow the teachers and school boards to do what’s best for the students and negotiate agreements that work.
Yours truly,
Brian Lynch,
President,
SDSG Provincial NDP riding association
