Gordon Prentice at Large - Politics in Newmarket
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
I am taken by the arresting full page ad in this morning's Toronto Star urging readers to contact Doug Ford on 416-325-1941.
The message is from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association and l'association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens.
I call as requested and get through to the Premier's Office but don't speak to the great man himself.
Instead of the expected recorded message I find I am speaking to a real person.
"I'd like you to pass a message on to Doug Ford. I think his use of the "notwithstanding clause" in the dispute with CUPE is entirely inappropriate. And I'd like you to get back to me with his response."
I leave my phone number.
I am told to expect a call back.
When that happens you will be the first to know.
Gordon Prentice 5 November 2022
Above right: Dawn "Corn Roast" Gallagher Murphy's Tweet earlier today. She's heard from parents. She will not waver. And she will not waive her right to invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms believing it is a convenient way to resolve a labour dispute.
Update on 7 November 2022: From the CBC: Education Minister says Bill 28 will be replealed in its entitety. And from CTV: CUPE to end strike after Ford offers to rescind education law
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, is yet again using the infamous “notwithstanding clause” of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (section 33), this time to prevent a strike by 55,000 school support staff which could begin as early as Friday of this week. (Photo right: Stephen Lecce, Education Minister)
Today’s Toronto Star editorial summed up the issue rather nicely:
“Negotiate – not legislate – school labour dispute”
The Ontario Legislature convened this morning at 5am to give a second reading to Bill 28 which is described as an Act to resolve labour disputes involving school board employees represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
The Star says the Government:
“… invoked the notwithstanding clause to prevent a legal challenge on grounds that the government move infringes on Charter protected rights of workers… And the invocation of the notwithstanding clause is an admission that the government knows it’s wrong and that its legislation likely wouldn’t survive a legal challenge.”
The Globe and Mail quotes legal experts saying the use of the notwithstanding clause to quash the ability of education workers to go on strike is “extreme, politically fraught and unprecedented in the history of labour disputes.”
Professor Braley-Rattai tells the Globe and Mail:
“Section 33, the notwithstanding clause, is so rarely invoked that in the first few decades of the Charter, some thought it to be political suicide. But I think that has begun to change, and I anticipate seeing more of this from right-leaning governments.”
Political Advertising
Last year the Superior Court of Justice struck down amendments to the Election Finances Act which restricted third party spending on so-called “political advertising” in the 12 months leading up to a Provincial election.
Ford responded by invoking the notwithstanding clause and the changes were pushed through, restricting political advertising by any third party in this year’s election to $637,200 across the entire Province and $25,488 in any given riding. (The latter sum is about half of what I could have spent on my recent campaign for Deputy Mayor/Regional Councillor.)
By using the notwithstanding clause Ford is showing he is ready and willing to exclude the Courts from adjudicating on highly partisan legislation which undermines and erodes Charter Rights.
I wonder what my MPP, Dawn “Corn Roast” Gallagher-Murphy, thinks about this?
Gordon Prentice 1 November 2022
TVO Podcast 1 November 2022: The notwithstanding clause strikes again
Update on 2 November 2022: Toronto Star editorial: An offensive assault on labour rights. And from the Globe and Mail: Doug Ford's constitutional overkill
Update on 3 November 2022: from the Toronto Star: "It's time to ditch the notwithstanding clause"
From the UK's Guardian: "Canadian Bill would fine workers $4,000 for each day they strike."
Update on 7 November 2022: From the Toronto Star's Martin Regg Cohn: Doug Ford has stained his legacy in a way that backing down won't fix
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
The campaign is over and it’s time to recycle my election signs. 
I am at York Region’s Waste Transfer Station at Warden Avenue in Georgina.
As I heave bundles of metal H frames into a huge skip I ask the guys working there where it all ends up.
“Don Mills Steel and Metal in Gormley”
“That’s good. I want to see this stuff recycled.”
Now I wander over to another huge container reserved for election signs. It is an astonishing sight. It’s like an elephant’s graveyard. The old signs go there when they know it's the end.
Amazing!
I turn to the waste transfer guys, pointing to bundles of Tom Vegh signs. I am just about to throw my signs of top of Vegh’s.
“That’s amazing! I ran against this guy.”
“He’s been here twice today.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And he is not going to run again. It’s his last time.”
“Really? You were told that?”
“Yeah.”
I ask if it is OK to take photos of all the signs.
“This is such a phenomenal sight. All these election signs.”
“Go ahead.”
Click. Click. Click. Click.
End-of-life
There is a wire trolley basket full of Vegh signs and many, many more in the container behind.
I look at the huge piles of Vegh lawn signs with the re-elect stickers in the top left corner.
Yup. He’s not going to be re-using these in 2026.
Gordon Prentice 29 October 2022
