The ongoing labour disruption caused by teachers’ unions in our community of Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, has caused uncertainty and left many Ontario families scrambling to find child care.

Our Government has been clear since day one of this process, we want deals that keep students in classrooms. It is deeply disappointing that teachers’ union leadership has decided to escalate so drastically in such a short period.

Our priority is to invest in frontline classroom supports – we have demonstrated consistently that we are being reasonable and student-centric by making major moves that have not been matched or reciprocated by the teachers’ unions at the bargaining table.

While teacher unions are creating hardship on families and students, our Government is taking proactive steps to ensure students remain cared for, and families are supported.

Our Government has launched its Support for Parents Initiative that puts money directly into the pockets of parents to help address these realities. For more information on Support for Parents, visit www.ontario.ca/SupportForParents.

Repeated escalation at the expense of our students’ education, to advance higher compensation, higher wages, and even more generous benefits, is unacceptable for parents and students in our province.

The immense uptake of our Support for Parents Initiative speaks volumes to the level of uncertainty union-led strike actions have caused.

Students should be in class.

I am calling on the education unions to stop this escalation which creates disruption for parents and students – they deserve better.

Sincerely,

Jim McDonell

Member of Provincial Parliament

Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry