Please Click Here to find recent news, events and information from CUPE Ontario.
Are you proud to be Canadian?
Minden Times.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012 3:25:01 EDT PM
To the Editor,
I am by profession an educational assistant. I have always been proud to say I am a Canadian because I know first hand how highly regarded Canada is on the global scope.
Canadians stand for freedom, democracy and human decency. But with the passing and enforcement of Bill 115 by the McGuinty government, I truly fear for the future. I have for some time now had a growing mistrust of our politicians and the sly dictatorial manner that Bill 115 has been hoisted onto the public sector is frightening.
All those standing back, pointing a finger at teachers and stating, “they have no right to protest,” should take a second look. Lumped into that same bill are 50,000 school support staff – your children’s EAs, secretaries and custodial staff. These are not highly paid positions. They are the middle class wage earners trying to keep their heads above water, just like everybody else! We have already heard that the government has no intention of stopping with these professions. Nurses, municipal staff, ministry offices, firemen, hydro . . . we are all vulnerable.
The protest against Bill 115 is about the violation of our constitutional right to free collective bargaining. The bill is formally named the Putting Students First Act. I suggest to you that unless we stand firmly against the undemocratic process, we are doing a disservice to our children.
What kind of country will be their inheritance? Certainly not the country our veterans fought the Great Wars for! They fought for freedom and democracy. Are we prepared to forfeit their efforts without a fight? I am sounding a wake up call. Doing nothing is accepting an elected dictatorship.
Faith Aggett
