McGuinty to teachers: make a deal, or we’ll do it for you

With a little less than one month before students go back to school, the premier has given an ultimatum to Ontario teachers – threatening to force a contract on them before the new school year begins.

Dalton McGuinty was in Sault Ste Marie this morning urging teachers to hammer out a new deal with the province based on the blueprint laid down by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. McGuinty says if they can’t work out a suitable deal before September 1st, he’s ready to recall the legislature and impose a two year wage freeze. But he downplayed the power of the province, saying most teachers know the government can’t afford to give them more money.

“The overwhelming number of teachers understand our circumstances. They know that this government remains absolutely committed to improving education, as always that is our number one priority; but times have changed, and we must be responsible with our spending, given those changes.”

The premier also offered a lot of praise for Ontario’s teachers, saying they are responsible for the gains made over the last decade in test scores, graduation rates, and post-secondary applications.

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