Bill 115 repealed, but anger lingers

Updated It caused months of turmoil, protest, and anger – but today the Liberal government formally put an end to Bill 115.

The Liberals claimed the bill was necessary to provide stability and fiscal responsibility in Ontario’s school system. But the two largest teachers unions in the province disagreed.

With its ban on strike action and a two year wage freeze, they saw the bill as an unfettered attack on their right to collective bargaining. The dispute sparked heated protest across the province, and a demand that the government “kill the bill”.

That happened today, but labour analysts like McMaster University’s Wayne Lewchuck say repealing the bill doesn’t really change much. “I think it’s important for the two sides to sit down and figure out their commitment to collective bargaining. This has been a bit of a shambles.”

“I think it’s really quite important that there needs to be a commitment, that collective bargaining is part of how we settle disputes in Ontario, and we don’t do it by forced bargains being shoved down people’s throats.”

Despite the bill being repealed, labour strife is likely to continue as protesters plan to gather outside the Liberal leadership convention this weekend. The Canadian Union of Public Employees is also set to launch an ad campaign about the state of collective bargaining in Ontario.

With Bill 115, repealed, education minister Laurel Broten says the unions should let teachers return to doing extra-curricular activities. “I call upon the leadership of teachers unions, OSSTF and ETFO, to allow teachers to do what I know so many teachers want to do, have your court challenge, we will have the debate in the courtroom, but let’s allow our students to have a good year of extra-curricular activities because every single person, all of the adults know how important it is for all of our students.”

However Ken Coran, head of the secondary school teachers union, didn’t seem to be in a conciliatory mood. “It’s always been up to the members to decide what they would or would not do in regards to voluntary extra-curricular activities. The vast majority, and I would say almost unanimously however, of the members have decided that they are still very very concerned with the situation.”

Coran says the confrontation over Bill 115 will make it hard to restore a sense of trust between teachers and the government, and will leave a black mark on Dalton McGuinty’s legacy as the ‘education premier’.