The question is for the Premier. Bill 27 invokes the “notwithstanding” clause to violate sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Human Rights Code, and that is a disgrace. The Premier says there is no other option. I disagree. It doesn’t have to be this way. The Conservative government doesn’t have to stop kids from going to school on Friday. There are more options. For example, the minister could continue negotiating. CUPE came back to the table yesterday with substantial changes. The minister could offer to extend the deadline and continue to bargain. The minister could offer binding arbitration.

My question: If the Premier is dedicated to keeping kids in class, why not use all the options? Has the Premier directed the minister to issue binding arbitration or to offer to continue bargaining beyond the deadline, and if not, then why is the Premier choosing to force the strike?

Ma question : ce gouvernement va-t-il se remettre à négocier une entente équitable afin que les travailleurs comme Trixie puissent retourner auprès des élèves et faire le travail qu’ils aiment?

To reply, the Premier.

The supplementary question.

Premier.

Premier, please reply.

Final supplementary.

The member for Ottawa Centre will come to order. The member for Sudbury will come to order. The member for Davenport will come to order. The member for Windsor West will come to order. The member for Toronto–St. Paul’s will come to order.

Start the clock. The member for Sudbury.

Member for Sudbury, supplementary.

Supplementary? The member for Ottawa West–Nepean.

The Minister of Education.

Actually, the Premier does have a choice. He could make a good offer. He could make a difference in the lives of our children and our education workers.

Speaker, the Premier says education workers are little guys, little gals. This government thinks it’s okay for them to have to use food banks. The Premier is acting like a bad boss. When bad bosses disrespect and underpay people for long enough, those people quit; they walk. It won’t be just Friday or next week that parents have to worry about if education workers leave the profession; it’s the future of their kids’ education.

If the Premier won’t rip up his anti-worker legislation for the sake of kids, parents and education workers, will he do it to avoid getting booed in public again for acting like a bad boss?

Interjections.

If the Premier won’t rip up his anti-work legislation for the sake of kids, parents and education workers, will he do it to stop embarrassing his own labour minister?

Mr. Speaker, we insist that kids are in class. We believe we are here because CUPE decided on Sunday to put this province on a strike footing for Friday, and that is unacceptable. These kids have paid enough of a price with the pandemic and the recent strikes just three years ago.

Interjections.

Interjections.

We have an obligation to keep kids in the classroom. I urge the members opposite to stand up for kids and work with this government to keep kids in class, where they belong.

Interjections.

You don’t avert a strike by refusing to negotiate. You avert a strike by bargaining a deal. But this week, the minister has stubbornly refused to negotiate. Yesterday, the government rejected a new proposal from CUPE that could have ended this whole situation. The government has failed to ask for binding arbitration.

The Premier claims they’re doing all they can for our kids, so why, when there are so many other things the government could have done this week, have they virtually guaranteed schools will be disrupted tomorrow?

Interjections.

It’s nice to see the opposition is changing the message to they’re actually worried about kids, because they were worried about the unions yesterday and the day before and the day before.

From the beginning, I’ve been very clear that we will do whatever it takes to keep Ontario’s two million students in class. We will do whatever it takes to give students and parents certainty. After two years of pandemic disruptions, enough is enough. We need kids in the classroom, learning. This is about the mental, emotional and physical well-being of two million students and, therefore, their respective families after two very difficult years brought on by this pandemic.

Unfortunately, CUPE refuses, absolutely refuses, to withdraw their strike action. They refuse to back down from shutting down schools. CUPE has left us no choice but to use legislation to ensure stability—

Mr. Speaker, we will always, always support the front-line workers. Our offer includes increased wages, the largest in the entire country, and maintains the most generous pension and benefit plan, again in the entire country, including 131 paid sick days.

The fact is, CUPE demanded a nearly 50% increase and threatened a strike if they didn’t get it. They have left us—

Interjections.

Interjections.

My question is to the Associate Minister of Transportation. While winter is fast approaching and more people are using public transit, their schedules are busy and they just want to get to from point A to point B as conveniently as possible without any hassle. Unfortunately, after two decades of transit mismanagement and neglect by the previous Liberal government, our government inherited a transit system in the GTHA that pales in comparison to the ridership experiences of other jurisdictions.

Speaker, through you, I’d like to ask the Associate Minister of Transportation what our government is doing to improve the ridership experience of my constituents, many of whom travel from the Oakville GO station, which is the busiest transit station in the network outside Union Station.

Speaker, through you, I’d like to ask the Associate Minister of Transportation how our government is delivering on an improved transit experience for my constituents and all the residents of the GTHA.

My question is to the Premier. Education workers—a largely women-led profession—are earning an average of $39,000 a year or less and often have to access food banks. Many need a second or third job to keep a roof over their heads.

I ask the Premier this: When will he actually put students first by investing in these low-wage education workers—the backbone of our schools—and stop undermining our public education? Rip up Bill 28.

My question is to the Premier. Speaker, this government is desperately trying to paint caring adults who work in our kids’ schools as the bad guys. Everyone else knows they work hard and deserve their rights, fair wages and respect.

James is a school custodian who writes: “I now barely earn enough to support myself, let alone help my mom who’s 75, also still working as a part-time custodian because she can’t afford to retire....

“My school board job doesn’t pay me enough to pay for the rising costs of living. My co-workers and I earn on average $39,000 and can’t afford to live on that. We want our students to have the services they need in our public schools.

“I am asking you to give us the improvement on wages and working conditions that I need, and not support legislation that takes away our right to negotiate those improvements.”

What would this Premier like to say to James?

Erin is a frustrated education assistant and she writes: “The schools are on ‘fire.’ In all my years I have never seen the challenges the schools and students are facing each day.

“We need to fight to ensure no more dedicated, effective workers leave their profession because they need to pay their bills.

“We need to fight to protect the students’ rights to the proper resources and supports that they need to be successful in the classroom.

“We need to fight to ensure that the students get the education system they deserve. They should not have to pay privately for a proper education.

“All I want is a liveable wage. I want resources and money put into our education system so that all our children, including my own, have the best chance at a positive and successful future.

“I want the government to respect us and our roles and that is shown through true collective bargaining. The bully tactics the government is using is not only an attack on education workers, but on all unions.”

What on earth would this Premier like to say to Erin?

The member for Davenport will come to order. The member for Windsor West will come to order.

The Minister of Education.

Minister of Education.

Start the clock. Supplementary question.

Mr. Speaker, we never walked away from the negotiating table, but the union is walking away from two million children this Friday and it is unacceptable. The government has—

Interjections.

We need kids in school; every parent knows this. Our government will deliver on a plan and a promise to provide stability for kids who have endured so much from this pandemic. I urge the members opposite to stand up for kids and vote for this bill.

The Premier is right: There is one party in this House that is standing up for kids on the backdrop of a never-ending strike in the province of Ontario.

Interjections.

I urge the members to have the courage of their convictions, stand up for their constituents and vote for stability in the classroom.

Interjections.

In addition to providing investments in our schools, we are increasing salaries every year, 10% over four years; maintaining a pension and the best health benefits, 131 days of sick leave; and absolute job security that many people watching could only dream of.

Mr. Speaker, we want kids in the classroom. We believe they have a right to learn and we will stand up for their parents—the million parents—who deserve this government to get the job done and provide stability for the people we all represent.

Let’s be clear: The average worker makes $27 an hour—in Toronto it’s north of $32, Mr. Speaker.

Interjection.

Interjections.

My question is for the Minister of Finance. My constituents in Oakville North–Burlington are experiencing increased cost-of-living pressures due to high inflation, which is making life more challenging and less affordable for them. Many global factors are contributing to the economic challenges that people are facing day to day.

On the news, my constituents hear about the geopolitical instability caused by Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine. They see how this impacts rising prices in our stores and the disruption it’s having on our supply chains.

Could the minister please provide this House with specifics about how our government plans to address our province’s finances during this period of global economic uncertainty?

Canada’s federal Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland recently said that there will be “difficult days ahead” for Canada’s economy. The Conference Board of Canada has also reported that Canada’s economic output will slow to a near standstill over the next three quarters.

Given the current and future concerns about economic uncertainty, what actions will our government and the Minister of Finance take to continue to keep our province on a strong economic path?

The member for Ottawa Centre is warned.

The member for Davenport is warned.

The member for London North Centre is warned.

Supplementary question.

I wish the Minister of Education would put that much energy into actually bargaining a fair collective agreement with these—

Interjections.

Speaker, why is the Premier attacking workers and why is he especially focused on women-led professions, like nurses, health care workers—Bill 124 ring a bell?—and education workers?

My question is for the Premier. In the last few days, I have heard from education workers who have expressed disappointment and they’ve expressed fear over the government’s attack on their rights with the introduction of Bill 28. I heard from one constituent, Angela; she’s an educational assistant. She’s 60 years old. She works three jobs and she can barely make ends meet. I want the Premier to know that parents support Angela and they also are shocked at how little money she actually makes in her job. This Premier thinks that Angela and her colleagues should lose their right to collective bargaining and continue struggling to support themselves and their families. This Premier also feels they should be content with a minimal increase that doesn’t recognize historic inequities. This Premier also gave 88% of his caucus a 13%-plus pay increase with a stipend increase.

Will the government just admit that instead of being for the people, they’re really just here for themselves?

In the 2021 economic outlook and fiscal review, the Minister of Finance said, “For too long, the workers of our province have been taken for granted.... Take-home pay for many workers has not kept up with rising costs.” He said this, and continued by saying, “During the pandemic, the workers of Ontario had our back. And our government has theirs.” Well, these statements clearly need to be called into question, especially given Bill 28.

The government also—and this is worth noting—this government has the money to respect workers in the education system by paying them fairly. You have the money. So why is it that the government said all the right things to workers just ahead of the election, but post-election, they have forgotten all of their principles, all of their morals and all of your promises?

Mr. Speaker, in the words of a mother from Stittsville—she said, “I’m truly counting on your government to get kids back in school where they belong.” Tom from Whitby, a supply teacher, said, “I can tell you not a single parent wants a strike. You guys are doing the right thing. Please stick to your guns.”

Mr. Speaker, a message for Tom and for every parent in this province: We hear them. We will stand up for them, and we’re going to ensure these kids stay in school tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, that’s your record. The member seems to find it comical—not parents who are scrambling to find child care today. You have a choice: Vote for this bill, stand with families and ensure kids are in the classroom tomorrow.

My question is to the Premier. This government has shown contempt for the Charter of Rights and Canada’s Constitution, the highest law in this land. This government has shown contempt with legislation that is really bullying—this bill is a bully bill—for the front-line education workers and the students that they support. This government has shown contempt for all of our government workers with Bill 124.

The Premier and his minister have single-handedly created chaos in our education system and confusion for parents in our communities. Their heavy-handed approach is forcing an agreement upon 55,000 CUPE workers, 70% of whom are women. They are the lowest-paid workers in our education system, and this is just the beginning of negotiations.

Speaker, can this Premier tell this House what he has next for the other education workers? ETFO, OSSTF, all of the other education workers: What do you have in your back pocket for them?

Thanks to the hard-working member from Oakville North–Burlington for that terrific question. Colleagues, we are in uncertain times amid global economic uncertainty. She’s absolutely correct. We know that the people of Ontario are feeling those challenges. That is why we are maintaining a flexible plan and will continue to invest in building the critical infrastructure and services that people rely on, like highways, education, public transit, schools, hospitals and long-term-care homes.

Our government will always work to support people and businesses in these uncertain times. For too long, we had a Liberal government that continued to impose new taxes upon new taxes, increasing the financial burdens on the people of Ontario. Our government’s plan will build a stronger Ontario and put more money back into people’s pockets, the hard-working people of this province.

But I am confident in our province. I am confident in the resilience of the people of Ontario and I am confident in our plan to build Ontario, Mr. Speaker. We have a strong plan to build infrastructure, train workers, and restore our manufacturing capacity, while keeping costs down for people and businesses. We have a strong plan for Ontario, and by being flexible and demonstrating restraint, we can overcome any challenge that comes our way.

Minister of Education.

Interjections.

Interjection.

Start the clock. The supplementary question.

The Minister of Education can reply.

Restart the clock.

The member for Scarborough–Guildwood will come to order. The President of Treasury Board will come to order. The Minister of Infrastructure will come to order.

Start the clock. Minister of Education, please reply.