Queen's Park Highlights - May 18, 2012
The Legislature adjourned on May 17 and will return on May 28 following scheduled constituency week for MPPs. When MPPs return, they will sit for two more weeks before adjourning for the summer.
1. PC Caucus introduces Wage Control Bills
On May 16, the PC Caucus put forward two private member's bills that aim to control public sector compensation. To become law, the bills have to be supported by either the Liberals or NDP.
PC MPP Jeff Yurek introduced Bill 92, the Comprehensive Public Sector Compensation Freeze Act, 2012. The bill proposes to freeze public sector compensation for two years. The freeze would apply to salary, experience and qualifications grids, and benefits. The bill applies to teachers, nurses, fire fighters, and other employees in the broader public sector.
Bill 92 is scheduled for Second Reading vote on May 31.
To read a copy of the bill, click here.
PC MPP Toby Barrett introduced Bill 94, the Addressing Ontario's Debt Through Alternatives to Public Sector Layoffs and Program Cuts, 2012. The bill proposes to control agreements of public sector employees covered by the Crown Employees' Collective Bargaining Act, 2012 as soon as their contracts come due for renewal. The bill states that these employees could only negotiate one-year collective agreements and that any compensation increase could not exceed the annual rate of change in the gross domestic product (GDP). Compensation increases typically relate to changes in inflation rates, not GDP.
Bill 94 does not affect ETFO members.
2. NDP Education Critic seeks clarity on Anti-Bullying Bill and Gay Straight Alliances
Both Bill 13, the government's anti-bullying bill, and Bill 14, the PC private member's bill on the same topic, are currently under review by the Standing Committee on Social Policy.
The government's bill includes provisions that establish the right of students to organize social justice clubs at school to address various forms of discrimination, including homophobia and transphobia. A number of organizations and individuals have raised concerns about such clubs, particularly ones commonly known as gay-straight alliances. There is some question whether students enrolled in publicly-funded Catholic schools would have the right to organize such clubs or use the GSA terminology. Bill 13 stipulates that such clubs could be called "gay-straight alliances or another name."
On May 15, PC Education Critic Peter Tabuns asked: "If Bill 13 passes and a group of students wants to form a student group, and they want to call that group a gay-straight alliance, is there any possibility that they will be denied the right to name it that?
Education Minister Laurel Broten replied:
"I've had a chance to say on many occasions that it’s not for us from Queen’s Park to tell every student what their club should be, and I would expect all of our boards to pay attention to the student voice and the value of students having a role in ensuring that those supports and those clubs are in place for those students."
On May 16, Mr. Tabuns returned to the GSA issue and said:
"Yesterday, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities wrote that the anti-bullying bill would likely go to court. If he's right and students are denied the ability to use the name "gay-straight alliance" in a school, will your government back those students?"
Minister Broten stated:
"I have set out very clearly the expectations, and our government has set out clearly the expectations, of the support that will be available to students in the document of the Accepting Schools Act. My expectation, Speaker, is that every board in every part of this province will abide by the policies, that are clearly stated, that the school needs to support student-led initiatives such as a gay-straight alliance. We’ve been very clear since the beginning."
3. ETFO presents to Bill 13 Hearings
On May 15, First Vice-President Susan Swackhammer participated in public hearings on Bill 13. The ETFO submission articulated clear support for the right of students to organize gay-straight alliances. It also identified a number of amendments to the bill, many of them based on provisions set forth in Bill 14, the PC private member's bill sponsored by former PC MPP Elizabeth Witmer.
To read the ETFO submission on Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, 2012, click here.
4. Government announces Consultation on School Board Amalgamation
On May 17, the Ministry of Education announced that it would be holding consultations over the summer on how to proceed with its Budget commitment to use school board amalgamation as a means to achieve efficiencies in Ministry expenditure.
The Ministry reiterated that the process would respect existing linguistic and religious rights. Teacher federations are included in the list of those invited to participate in the consultation.
5. NDP Critic seeks Review to Fix School Accommodation Review Process
On May 14, NDP Education Critic Peter Tabuns pointed to a recent People for Education report that raises concerns about the accommodation review process in place for closing schools. The report concludes that the process doesn’t adequately take into consideration community use of schools. He asked: "Will the minister launch a review to fix the process and encourage alternative community use of schools?"
Education Minister Laurel Broten replied:
"Since we came into office, we have reformed the process. We have ensured that there is community dialogue, that the accommodation review guidelines are in place and that we have those local conversations. That being said, we are always prepared to make sure that that conversation is inclusive and includes other community partners, and that’s exactly what we said we would do."
In response to a supplementary question, the Minister reminded her NDP colleague that all governments have been faced with the difficult issue of school closure:
"I know the NDP has knowledge of this, because when they were in power, 150 schools in this province closed. These are very difficult conversations. We look to the leadership of our school boards, and we will be there, at the Ministry of Education, to facilitate the bringing together of community partners so that we can spend our education dollars on our students and not on empty buildings."
For more information, check the website of the Ontario Legislature:
www.ontla.on.ca