Sunday, November 18th, 2012
Below please find an Open Letter to Education Minister Laurel Broten from Ontario PC Critic Lisa MacLeod, MPP Nepean-Carleton.
—-
Dear Minister,
In August you claimed it was necessary to recall the Legislature early to prevent labour disruption in Ontario’s schools. At the time, you and your Liberal government promised parents that students would remain in their classrooms, without disruption, if the Legislative Assembly passed Bill 115.
Unfortunately, your promise seems to have fallen far short, even with the extraordinary powers that you created for yourself in Bill 115.
You were aware at the time, as you surely are now, that the Ontario PC Caucus had severe reservations with parts of your legislation. In fact we brought forward several substantive amendments that would have improved Bill 115. Each one of those amendments were defeated by your government. Yet, we supported Bill 115 in good-faith because it was our priority that Ontario’s students would be in their classrooms this coming school year. We also felt we could achieve some semblance of a wage freeze, which we had been calling for over the course of the previous year.
However, your own government is now ignoring the very legislation you ushered in with such urgency. The stakes now are just as high.
We know there has been disruption in our schools. Extracurricular activities have been cancelled, EQAO testing could be compromised and report cards aren’t being fully completed in some schools. In addition, some unions have opted for a work-to-rule campaign in their board, causing unsafe environments. Now, some union locals are threatening to strike. This is all contrary to what you and your Liberal government promised Members of the Legislative Assembly and Ontario’s parents.
While I would obviously appreciate the opportunity to ask you a question in the Legislature tomorrow regarding the labour disruption in Ontario’s schools, I cannot. Your government took the opportunity to shut down debate and prorogue the Legislative Assembly, protecting you from any scrutiny over Bill 115 and your lack of attention to the very law that you passed.
Complicating this matter more is the leadership race currently taking place within the Liberal party, with leadership candidates openly taking critical positions against Bill 115 and your tenure as Minister of Education. We now find ourselves in an unprecedented place- the Legislative Assembly is shut down while the Liberal party internally debates Bill 115 even though it has already passed and could prevent labour disruption while teachers unions threaten to strike.
Minister, given Bill 115 is now law, are you and other MPPs in the Ontario Liberal party planning on breaking your own law? Are you under pressure now to repeal Bill 115 by Ontario Liberal leadership candidates? Can you explain to me why the Liberal government recalled the Legislature early to pass a law it has no intention of following?
These are all questions I would have put to you in Question Period if given the chance. I, like so many students and their parents across Ontario would appreciate a response to these questions.
Kindest regards,
Lisa MacLeod, MPP
Nepean-Carleton
Ontario PC Education Critic
