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.

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?

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?

My question is to the Premier. I want to bring up the story of an education assistant in Niagara: Michelle Branch. Michelle knew she was never going to be rich doing what she does. She said as a university- and college-educated single mother, she thought she could do this work and provide more for her family—help pay for her mortgage, insurance, groceries and all the things her daughter needs. This is a female-dominated workplace, and once again, like the nurses and the health care workers before this, this government is continuing to keep women down.

Will the Premier answer why this government is refusing to bargain in good faith with education workers—passionate education workers—that are struggling to make ends meet?

I have been sent pay stub after pay stub after pay stub from education workers this week. The vast majority of them are making barely over a minimum wage. I hear about veteran education workers of 30 years having to watch their colleagues finish their work at school and then go to McDonald’s for a night shift.

Melanie O’Neil is an EA and a parent and knows the value of and need for staff—qualified, professional, skilled and experienced staff—who feel valued and motivated to do their jobs and who will stay long-term.

Premier, given the fact that you are willing to table this massive bill to trample the rights of education workers, were you ever really bargaining in good faith for parents and the staff that make our schools work and keep our children safe and our classrooms clean?