Legislation to impose contract on Ontario teachers could trigger an election

TORONTO – Attempts by Ontario’s minority Liberal government to impose a wage freeze on teachers this summer could trigger a general election.

Premier Dalton McGuinty says the Liberals have been sincere and honest in their efforts to reach new contracts with teachers by Sept. 1, but will introduce legislation if necessary.

He says respect for the collective bargaining process is not an excuse for doing nothing.

McGuinty says the NDP are running away from talk of a wage freeze faster than Jamaican gold medallist Usain Bolt.

The Conservatives want a legislated wage freeze for all public sector workers, but say they can’t agree to support a bill they haven’t seen.

The Liberals say it’s premature to talk about declaring any legislation to impose a deal on teachers a confidence motion, meaning its defeat would automatically lead to an election.

Bryan Evans, associate professor of politics at Ryerson University in Toronto, expects the teachers will reach some sort of deal to avoid the need for legislation in the first place. Teachers know they’ve have had it pretty good under the Liberals, he added.

“I’m not sure when they begin looking at the larger context if they want to gamble everything on a possible change in government and a government that they all recognize will not be anywhere near so friendly,” Evans said.