TORONTO -- Former education minister and Liberal leadership candidate Gerard Kennedy says the province tried to take a "shortcut" in labour talks with its teachers and should reconsider its plan.
Kennedy said the province's bid to impose savings through a wage freeze and benefit rollback on Ontario's teachers could have been done through negotiation instead of legislation in the form of Bill 115. If elected Liberal leader and premier next month, Kennedy would do things differently, he said.
"I believe there was a sincere view that (the government) had to find a shortcut or a direct way to save dollars. I think that now that it's clear that the cost is there in lost goodwill, I'm hoping the government will re-think. Why follow through on this?"
