Opening Statement



Saturday 12 January 2013

A January Teacher Protest Weekend!

[Updated Sunday Midnight]

Whew! What a week! That was pure union excitement at it's best for all of us union types eh?  Maybe even if you don't follow it a lot? Sure, ETFO ultimately lost it's case for the protest at the OLRB. However it was a good fight. We sometimes have to take our victories as a teachers movement in small steps. It's a long road. ETFO walks down it with head held high. It will be interesting to see how the Charter Challenge goes. The outcome could be something altogether different. Remember the OLRB could only rule on the merits of a case within it's own mandate. If there is a contract in place, no matter how nefarious that might be [ie Bill 115], well its still got to rule the way it did. If you walk out,and you have a contract, then it is illegal strike and that's pretty much it according to the OLRB terms for determining a case. Meanwhile, hat offs to ETFO and the fight goes on.



The ultimate source for all ETFO info on the trial is of course ETFO's own Control Your Future website:  Control Your Future

Let me point out a few key examples:

For the OLRB's official ruling see: OLRB Ruling

Watch the video of ETFO President Sam Hammond's statement at 4 am after the ruling: Hammond speaks

Matthew Coutts Daily Brew News Blog leaves me frothing at the mouth for more. He explains why Friday was a successful political protest see: Daily Brew

From our other news sources: 

The Globe + Mail reports on the OLRB hearing and the morning afterGlobe

From the Toronto Sun: How did parents respond to Friday morning? Here's the good, the bad and the ugly. See: Parents?

OSSTF cancels next Wednesday's protest. I will check up on Rank + Files response: OSSTF

OFL's J26 Rally for Rights + Democracy meets at Allan Gardens to march in force to the OLP leadership Convention at the nearby Maple Leaf Gardens. There will be a detour along Yonge Street to make sure everybody sees and knows your numbers + committment! Definately a great Toronto traditionIt's at 1-4 pm Saturday January 26. Plan to attend the labour rally of the year. Let's rock the convention! For details, flyers to post etc etc etc see: J26 Rally!


ETFO ETT plans a protest rally outside the Ministry of Education from 5-7pm on Tuesday January 15. You can also download a flyer with all the details + directions etc. to share + post everywhere! See: MOE Rally

Here's a list of Bill 115 rallies across Ontario up to and including the Jan 26 OLP. Pick one + please go out to show your support. Don't worry if its not your affiliate. Make your own sign or contact your local office to request use of a flag. See: Ont Rallies

Many thanks to my readers for posting upcoming events using the Comment button below this blog. Please let us know if there are any coming up. My readers are now spread across Ontario so don't worry about where you are. The Comment button is at the bottom of each blog. Solidarity!

Feeling low? Cheer up! Listen to Billy Bragg's "There's Power In The Union" video:  Billy Bragg Rocks! 

The situation remains very bad if not worse since the hearing, between teachers and the OLP: Bad Situation

OPSEU stands in solidarity with ETFO + OSSTF. They blame the OLP for the turmoil Friday morning and reaffirm the battle isn't over: OPSEU

Ipsos Reid + Postmedia poll suggests parents remain confused and don't understand our union conflict and actions. 43% dodn't know what the labour dispute is about. Blame for the labour crisis is pretty evenly split between the province and the teachers. From their own personal contact with us individually though the public still seem to identify and support teachers. However 68% think we got it good with jobs, benefits and working conditions.  75% support the provinces position on Collective Bargaining + think our contracts should include extracurriculars. Ouch! See: Poll

This article claims both McGuinty and the teachers have suffered  as a result of the labour standoff. An interesting point here: Among our unions only OECTA has bought into the provinces austerity argument. Sigh! Alas! See: Standoff

Christie Blatchford provides a very insightful and even sympathetic critique of the OLRB hearing. She notes Bill 115 tied the OLRB's hands! Blatchford certainly has her moments. Then other times ... ? Anyway, I think she's hit the nail squarely on the head with this column! Read: Blacthford OLRB

Methinks it's not so much Christie likes unions as she hates the McGuinty Liberals. See her column from the day before. Insightful, once again. She's on a roll. See: Over the Rainbow?

This Toronto Star guest article provides a bang on critique of the Liberal's actions leading up to the stand off at Thursday night's OLRB hearing. Well worth reading: OLP Mistakes


ETFO teachers carry on the protest Friday after school. I believe this is in Mississauga.

TV Time Travel: Steve Paikin shares with us the original video of the McGuinty, Kennedy and Duncan leadership debate when they appeared on TVO Agenda in 1996. Wow. See: 1996 Debate

Ottawa Citizen letter questions the wisdom of cracking down on teachers while the OLP chooses a new premier to work with us as a "partner with teachers" to overcome the education crisis. See: Hammer time?

KW Record Columnist Luisa D'Amato questions why Wynne didn't resign in protest when Bill 115 was approved in cabinet, if it was as she said, such a "bad process". Take that as you may. She also considers Kennedy too much of a "hothead". Pupatello would make the best opposition leader if that's where the OLP ends up after the next election. See: Wynne,

The OLP Leadership convention delegate selection votes are this weekend. Here's how it works: Delegate selection

Unofficial results at approximately Sunday midnight: Pupatello-477/ Takhar-218/ Sousa-193/ Wynne-421/ Hoskins-98/ Kennedy-243 = 762

OLP delegate vote results keep pouring in. Best place to keep watch seems to be here: OLPDR

Mid way results Saturday in the OLP delegate process show Pupatello with a slight lead. See the totals so far. Sunday is the last day for the votes: Vote results

A Global Toronto Editorial Board interview with Sandra Pupatello. There is also an interview with Kennedy. An interview with each of the other candidates will follow each day this week. See: Pupatello

A frank straight forward interview with Kathleen Wynne as she talks about "coming out" later in life as a lesbian and being involved in a same sex marriage with her partner Jane. Christie Blatchford praises her for staying true to herself. See: Wynne

Kennedy: 3rd time lucky or skating on thin ice? Eh? No No. Gerard not Jack, Bobbie or Ted. See: Gerard Kennedy


New Toronto Star Ebook on "Dalton McGuinty: The Quiet Evolution" by provincial affairs columnist Jim Coyle is available at: McGuinty Ebook

Martin Regg Hart interviews Ontario Lt. Governor David Onley on his prorogation decision. Like with the OLRB he can really only make decisions according to his terms of office. It's not up to he himself, and he's not supposed to talk publicly about his decisions, nor is the Premier. As students of Canadian Government know, his office is largely ceremonial. He yields little if any actual power though he is top of the political system as the Queen's figurehead representative, an office that dates back to colonial times. David is much respected as Ontario's first physically handicapped Governor General, and for his down to earth sensibilities. This is a good read on a Sunday afternoon for our more knowledged politicos, necessary reading for the novice and could make for a very interesting and insightful civics class. We should all know this. See: Lt. Governors Office

CUPE in solidarity with Chief Spence and the Idle No More movement. I'm not sure: does the chief understand the role of the Lt. Governor? See: Idle No More

Saturday bonus for anyone who's read this far: CTV News Video Live: here's a good link for future use. If you don't  mind watching the media set up etc you will see it all first hand without editing or idiotic, obtrusive overdubbed commentaries. Wow! The supreme news junkies fix! Watch: CTV Live Feed

Not as good a bon mot but still well recommended: Interviews, new stories and interesting panels regularly discuss, explain and debate Ontario political issues at: Ontario News Watch

In other news

Canadiana: The 1st North American Beatle album [above] was released in November 1963 by Capitol Canada. The Capitol US parent company later caught on and deleted the record replacing it with their US album/ song line up: "Meet the Beatles" subtitled "The First Album" which was initially released on Jan 20 1964. The proper name was actually "With the Beatles"  which was their 2nd album released in the UK on November 22, the day Kennedy was assassinated.

BTW this month is the 49th year anniversary of when Beatlemania first reached the USA. The Beatles had all ready had a #1 teenage record chart topper in Canada the month before. The 45 rpm "She Loves You" reached #1 on the Chum AM radio Top 30 Charts in Toronto during Nov-Dec 63. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" became their first US #1 in January 1964, just a few months after the Kennedy assassination, some say much to everybody's happy relief. And the rest is musical [sociological?] history. Am I a still a Beatlemaniac? How did you guess?!? ;-) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. More to come.


Kennedy family survivors question findings of the Warren Report on JFK assassination as 50 year ceremonials begin. See: JFK 50 years

Here's a photo of a moose parade in Pukaskwa National Park [not to be confused with Moosaskwat National Park]. Doesn't say what they are marching for or against. Don't think Bill 115 or the MOU. They've haven't got a union. No billboards or signs. Then again they don't have any fingers to write with either. Poor moose. Anyway, see: Moose Parade

Was the IKEA snow monkey repeatedly beaten with a wooden spoon, or is the owner being framed? Still no word on what happened to his fleece coat. The saga continues. See: Ikea Monkey?


Back to school Friday morning ...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

OECTA Provincial Executive elections nomination deadline January 15th. Campaigns begin on January 16th.

Anonymous said...

Protest happening again this Friday at Charles Sousa's office in Port Credit (Mississauga) at 4:00pm!

Anonymous said...

OECTA's Provincial Exec is now supporting the Jan 26 Anti-Austerity Rally.

Anonymous said...

Another protest is brewing outside Laurel Broten's office in Etobicoke at around 3:00pm

Anonymous said...

That protest is on Friday at Laurel Broten's office.... Sorry forgot that detail!

Anonymous said...

The Ontario Teachers' Federation is meeting at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel on Yonge street. Should be interesting - 1st time AEFO, OECTA, ETFO, OSSTF execs have been in the same room since Bill 115 passed.

Anonymous said...

That OTF meeting is being held on Friday and is open to all OECTA, AEFO, ETFO, and OSSTF members.

Anonymous said...

Well now that it looks like Wynne is going to lose to Pupatello one might expect that OECTA will start to get mad at the Liberals. Time to play catch up Kevin and the Prov Exec. Jump in the pool with the rest of your brothers and sisters. Come on in the water is warm!

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