In typical hyperbolic fashion, the Toronto Sun uses a misleading headline to tell readers that Ontario Education Minister Laurel Broten and the McGuinty government are getting tough on teacher unions:
It’s extraordinary how the Dalton McGuinty government has got religion on wage restraint – just three short weeks before two vital byelections. . . . Education Minister Laurel Broten produced draft legislation Thursday that will ban teacher strikes or lock-outs by school boards once their existing collective agreements expire Aug. 31.
What religion has to do with Broten’s legislation is not clear since Broten has not become religious, nor is her legislation targeting Catholic schools. The “Correction” notice at the end of the Sun article highlights the cost absorbed by taxpayers when the provincial government gives in to teacher’s union demands:
Correction: You’re paying the price. I’m paying the price. Taxpayers are paying [t]he price. Let’s just hope our kids don’t pay the price in the classroom.
What the article fails to mention is taxpayers are paying for two separate English school systems in Ontario: Catholic and public schools, and taxpayers will continue to pay until the Ontario government stops giving preferential treatment to the Catholic religion by creating one public school system in Ontario.