Back to School for our children

Our children are heading back to the classroom.

In a press conference early Monday morning, November 7, 2022, Premier Doug Ford stepped up to the microphone with an offer from the province that he hoped would clear the way for Ontario students to return to the classroom.  

The Premier offered to repeal back-to-work legislation if the Canadian Union of Public Employees representatives (CUPE) would agree to end its strike action and return to the negotiating table.

Ford repeated that his main concerns were to get the children back to school and to negotiate a fair deal for the students, parents, workers and Ontario taxpayers.

Soon after the Premier’s announcement, CUPE employees held a news conference stating they too would now resume contract negotiations. 

The Premier was quick to send out a tweet to express his happiness to have the children able to return to school:

“I’m glad CUPE has agreed to withdraw its strike action so kids can return to class. We’ll be back at the table to negotiate a fair deal — for students, parents, workers and taxpayers.”

Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, said that the Ontario government has always maintained and called for our children to be back in the classroom:

“CUPE has agreed to withdraw their strike action and come back to the negotiating table. In return, we will revoke Bill 28 in its entirety and be back at the table so that kids can return to the classroom after two difficult years.”

Simcoe-Grey MPP Brian Saunderson said today’s developments represent a victory for our students, adding our children have had to deal with far too much time away from the classroom over the last two-and-one-half years.

Saunderson said MPP’s are not sitting this week as it is Veterans’ Week. He stated MPP’s will be dealing with the repeal of Bill 28 as soon as the legislature resumes sitting.