It would be nice to think that the slumbering masses have awakened to a new understanding of government and its relationship to the people, but I abandoned magical thinking a long time ago. Nonetheless, occasionally our overlords overplay their hand, and people do get a glimpse behind the curtain.
Such seems to be happening in Ontario, now in the midst of an education labour disruption that could have been so easily avoided, had our rulers not been consumed with their own arrogance.
A new Abacus poll reveals some interesting statistics:
... 62 per cent of respondents blame the provincial government for schools closing after thousands of education workers, including education assistants, custodians and librarians, walked off the job Friday. Meanwhile, 38 per cent point the finger at the workers.
Sixty-eight per cent of parents of school-aged children believe the Ford government bears the most responsibility, the survey found, while 71 per cent of respondents want the province to negotiate a "fair deal" with education workers, rather than continue with its current strategy.
Laura Walton, president of CUPE's Ontario School Boards' Council of Unions, said the results of the poll show Ontarians support the education workers in their job action.
"This poll confirms what we already knew: that the majority of people support education workers, that they see through the Ford government's lies about working for workers and students, that they know $39,000 isn't enough, and that they believe workers' rights to freely bargain and strike if necessary must always be protected," Walton said in a statement.
"Seven out of 10 Ontarians want the government to negotiate a fair deal. That starts with repealing Bill 28, an unjust law which Ontarians know is like giving a schoolyard bully a sledgehammer."
Meanwhile, both sides are now appearing before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the government seeking a declaration of an illegal strike, CUPE arguing against that designation. Perhaps the desperation of the Ford cabal is reflected in the chief argument of its legal brainstrust:
Ferina Murji said strikes are prohibited in the midst of any contract, not just one that was ratified by union membership.
"A collective agreement is a collective agreement is a collective agreement," she said.
If one believed in the power of pithy sayings, one might be able to sum up the current imbroglio this way:
The Ford 'Progressive' Conservative government: not here for you.
I do hope people start thinking about this government's current relationship with the people, jrk. So many targeted, but why? That's what people have to ask and answer.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I believe that the unspent Covid money, along with increased taxes, account for the 'surplus'. Hardly an emblem for fiscal probity, in my view.
GOODNESS GRACIOUS - GREAT BALLS OF .. confusion ?
ReplyDeleteIt’s occurring to me.. of course it is.. seeing as those twin corrupt scumbags keep hammering the confused logic of..
Our students MUST BE IN SCHOOL AT ANY COST.. !
It’s so so crucial to their Mental Health & Emotional Welfare
“we will stop at nothing to keep them in school !” saith Lecce
Well count this Senior ‘veteran’ of Eighteen Years of Education
& over 50 years of self teaching.. & hanging out with Exemplars as ‘Confused’ !
If The Doug & Stephen Crusade was/is/shall ever be ‘meritorious’, do those kids not need & deserve Educational Worker Support ?
& By the way.. smarty pants Dropout Doug & Sigma Chi Lecce
The entire planet is suffering under a Viral Pandemic.. !
And yes.. you MENSA LEVEL scumbags have been bungling Healthcare in Schools while focussing on Disaster Capitalism For Profit 101 - Me First
A decent Trial Lawyer would rip you to shreds before Judge, Jury, & actual Journalists. Your ‘LOGIC’ is scraped from the Septic Tank you & your Ethics, Morality, Responsibility lived in - died in
Perhaps with the remaining years of your 8 YEAR - NO CUT CONTRACT to PILLAGE ONTARIO & INSULT Canada & Canadians & shock International Society.. you will ease Stephen Lecce’s ‘stoic burden’ by switching him to Healthcare..
Like you Doug Ford.. he can then be a truly dangerous Key Minister & engage in policies & malignant ignorance & actually ENCOURAGE, CAUSE, VIRAL SICKNESS & DEATH ! You know.. where we need the Canadian Military to finally come in and let us know.. because you sure won’t.. Your Government is an ACTIVE SUPPORTER/AGENT of Covid Infection, Transmission, Morbidity & Mortality
That’s where & when - you’ll ‘live by your words’
You declared it ‘we will stop at nothing’.. nothing.. no thing..
🦎
Well-said, Sal. I have nothing to add to your withering assessment of this gang that couldn't legislate straight (apologies to Jimmy Breslin). It should now be apparent to everyone near and far that the emperor indeed has no clothes.
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