Queen's Park Highlights - May 17, 2013

The legislature adjourned on Thursday and will reconvene on Monday, May 27.  Next week MPPs will be in their ridings for a scheduled Constituency Week, their last break prior to the summer recess. June 6 is the scheduled adjournment date, but the minority government situation could result in the session being extended past that date.

The prospects of a spring election appear to be waning following a May 16 meeting between Premier Kathleen Wynne and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath to discuss the NDP budget demands.  It appears the Liberals have accommodated most of the NDP demands to date, but the final proof will come when the budget is put to a vote once the legislature reconvenes.

1. Premier Wynne says she’s “sorry” for the Gas Plant Fiasco

The gas plant issue continued to dominate the Legislature this week.  The most noteworthy development was Premier Kathleen Wynne’s decision to amend her language of contrition from “regretting” to “being sorry” for the government’s handling of the relocation of the Mississauga and Oakville gas plants.  She chose a one-on-one interview with TVO’s Steve Paikin on the Agenda on May 14 to unveil her new stance. You can view the interview and read Paikin’s background story on his blog.

On May 15, PC MPP Victor Fedeli asked Premier Wynne about the apology:

“...what did you apologize for? Are you sorry for not listening to the residents of Mississauga and Oakville? Are you sorry for building power plants in residential neighbourhoods? Are you sorry for paying companies not to build power plants? Are you sorry for buying five Liberal seats with $585 million? Are you sorry for destroying documents and keeping the truth from Ontarians? Or are you just sorry you got caught?”

Premier Wynne replied:

“I believe that it was important for me as the Premier in this chair now to say that I apologize, and I’m sorry for the process as it unfolded. I’m sorry that the decision was made in the first place to locate those plants where they were located, and I’m sorry it cost so much to undo that.”

In his supplementary question, Mr. Fedeli said: “Ontarians want more than a hollow apology; they want a refund. Will you order the Liberal Party to pay the money back?” The premier replied:

“I really believe that my primary political relationship is with the people of Ontario, and I was speaking to the people of Ontario yesterday. Since I have been in this role, I have been as open and as transparent as I could possibly be. I answered questions at committee. I made sure that we opened up the process so that all the questions could be asked, so that all the documents that were asked for could be provided. That has happened. We have heard many perspectives at committee. I believe that it was important for me to take personal responsibility, and I have done that.”

2. PC Leader presses for new Round of Public Sector Wage Freeze

On May 13, PC Leader Tim Hudak pointed to the $2 billion in savings from the current public sector wage restraint but the absence of any similar plan in the 2013 budget.  He also remarked that the budget talks, instead, of working with the public sector “to get outcomes.” He asked: “…without a wage freeze how are you going to find those $2 billion in annual savings?”  Finance Minister Charles Sousa agreed that the government was working collaboratively. He added:

“That’s exactly what we’re doing, and we’ve proven that we’ve been able to control spending at below 1% year over year. It’s why we exceeded our targets last year by $5 billion. We’ve negotiated and collaborated with the broader public sector, and we’re dealing with our compensation review by maintaining our envelope at zero. That’s very clear in the budget.”

In his supplementary question, Mr. Hudak asked: “Why did you throw out a mandatory wage freeze that could save us $2 billion a year and that you yourself had previously voted for?” The Finance Minister replied:

“The budget is all about creating jobs, helping people in their everyday lives and tackling and eliminating the deficit in a very pragmatic, practical way. We’re not taking extreme positions. We’re trying our utmost to collaborate and initiate those positive changes for the benefit of the people.”

3. PC MPP asks Government to step in to end US Steel Nanticoke Lockout

On May 13, PC MPP Toby Barrett asked the government to intervene in the lockout situation at US Steel Nanticoke. Labour Minister Yasir Naqvi replied:

“We know that agreements that are reached around the negotiating table are the best ones, and we really encourage, in this situation, both parties to come back to the table. As the member opposite noted, a Ministry of Labour mediator has been engaged in the negotiations. The mediator has been assisting the parties and has met with the parties on seven different occasions.”

The minister encouraged both sides to return to the negotiations table.

Mr. Barrett gave a notice of dissatisfaction with the minister’s response and on May 14 both he and Minister Naqvi were given the opportunity to revisit the issue.  Mr. Barrett argued that the world of labour relations has changed as a result of globalization and that the government needed to catch up.  He didn’t have any novel suggestions but deferred to his previous call on the government to intervene by having meetings with the union and the company.

In his response, Minister Naqvi reported that 97 per cent of labour contracts in Ontario are settled without disruption.  He reiterated that negotiated settlements are the best agreements and that the two sides in the US Steel Nanticoke dispute have access to Ministry mediators.  He also took the opportunity to raise concerns about the PC Party’s anti-union policies such as the support for right-to-work legislation.  He summarized the policies by stating:

“The schemes presented by the official opposition would mean lower wages and, in turn, a reduced buying power, which would have a dramatically negative effect on the economy.

“This path to poverty would destroy the balanced and productive labour climate we have worked so hard to achieve and would quickly lead to further labour strife. It would also lead on average to a $1,500 annual pay cut for both unionized and non-unionized workers across the province.”

4. PC MPP seeks Government Intervention in potential LCBO Strike

On May 15, PC MPP Ted Chudleigh pointed to the possibility of a strike by OPSEU employees of the LCBO. He asked how the government could “allow” such a strike to happen prior to a holiday weekend. Finance Minister Charles Sousa replied:

“We have a situation where the LCBO and the employees are negotiating a collective agreement, and it’s appropriate and prudent for them to initiate and have those discussions. We’ll allow them to proceed. I’m hopeful that, in the end, they’ll come to an agreement and that we’re all going to be able to enjoy a great long weekend.”

In his supplementary question, Mr. Chudleigh accused the government of having a “record of buying public sector union support with massive wage increases and perks at the expense of Ontario’s fiscal future.”  He also claimed that “public sector compensation is out of control” despite the fact that the budget reported that public sector wages are trailing those in the private sector. Mr. Chudleigh asked whether the government would introduce legislation to impose a two-year freeze in public sector compensation. The messaging in this question is an indication of what we’ll hear from the Tories during the next election campaign.

Labour Minister Yasir Naqvi replied:

“I thank the member for the question. I think the member opposite very well knows how our labour relations system works in this province. It is the responsibility of the employer and the trade union to be able to come together to negotiate a settlement agreement.

“We also know that the best agreements are the ones which are negotiated, that are bargained around the table...”

Late in the day, OPSEU and the LCBO announced they had reached a tentative agreement.

5. PC MPPs introduce more anti-Labour Bills

On May 16, PC MPP Michael Harris introduced Bill 73, Fair and Open Tendering Act (Labour Relations for Certain Public Sector Employers in the Construction Industry), 2013, a private member’s bill aimed at preventing employers, like school boards, from adopting tendering policies that limit tenders to unionized employees.  In introducing the bill, Mr. Harris stated:

“The Fair and Open Tendering Act would prevent municipalities and school boards from becoming trapped in labour monopolies by exempting them from the construction sector provisions in the Labour Relations Act.

“For years, certain unions have successfully exploited a legal loophole in Ontario’s labour laws that allows them to certify municipalities and school boards as though they were construction companies. If organized, these public sector employers are forced to accept a collective agreement that is bargained at a provincial level on behalf of all construction employers and which contains stringent contracting-out restrictions. This bill would end this practice by exempting municipalities and school boards from province-wide bargaining in the construction industry.”

To read the bill, click here: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2795

On the same day, PC MPP Monte McNaughton introduced Bill 74, the Fairness and Competitiveness in Ontario's Construction Industry Act, 2013, a private member’s bill that proposes to remove specific bargaining rights won by the construction trades in 1979 that cover workers in the Lambton area who work on projects of the Ellis-Don construction firm. It is a very minor, but symbolic bill.

To read the bill,click here: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2796

For more information, check the website of the Ontario Legislature: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/home.do.