Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

We do agree that we value these front-line workers in our schools. They play critical roles, from custodians to EAs to ECEs. That’s why we brought forth a fair deal that we have tabled before them, which ensures we achieve the number one priority for this government, which is stability for children. We want them to return to normal schools and have a more enjoyable start this September, and that starts with keeping them in school.

What we’re asking of CUPE, and all unions, is to be reasonable. When you aggregate the asks made by that union, which sets the floor for the negotiations for every other union negotiation, it is a 52% increase, akin to the combined budgets of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and BC. It is larger than the Minister of Colleges and Universities’s entire budget.

So we want to be fair for taxpayers. A good deal for these workers, one that keeps kids in class—that’s exactly what this government will deliver.

We want kids in school. It has been two difficult years for families. I have not met a parent in this province, in every region that we have toured, who has said to me that they don’t want to see their kids in school in September—and that they stay in school right to June. Normal, stable, enjoyable—that is the policy commitment of this government, and we’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that for the children of this province.