QUEEN’S PARK –– Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Education Chandra Pasma (Ottawa West––Nepean) joins Ontario’s education unions in calling on Minister of Education Paul Calandra to urgently negotiate a new contract in good faith, as the school year begins without one in place.
“Minister Calandra promised Ontario families that he would have a deal in place before Labour Day,” said Pasma. “This is just more empty words from a Minister who thinks he can run every school in the province from his office at Queen’s Park, while refusing to invest in our classrooms. Local priorities need to be addressed locally, not by the ‘Emperor of Education’ in downtown Toronto.
“Teachers and education workers asked for early bargaining to ensure more stability for the start of the school year. But the Minister ignored those requests, took an extra long summer vacation, and now students and parents are going to pay the price.
“Minister Calandra needs to stop with the power grabs, prioritize our kids, and get a deal done.”