Conning challenges Vaughan candidates to deliver long term solutions for education with single school board

Vaughan, Ontario – Green Party of Ontario (GPO) Leader, Mike Schreiner and Vaughan GPO candidate Paula Conning are condemning the old line parties for playing out yet another false crisis in education instead of discussing modern solutions to the province’s record budget deficit.

“We have now seen education crises under NDP, PC and Liberal governments,” says Schreiner. “This will happen again and again, unless the old parties get the courage to have a discussion on ending wasteful duplication in our current school system.”

All the old line parties have slammed the door on discussions of modernizing Ontario’s school system and saving $1.3-1.6 billion in wasteful duplication between the public and Catholic school boards.

“The old line parties continue to look for savings on the backs of our educational staff rather than engage the public in creating a fair schools system in Ontario,” says Conning. “Voters need to send a message that politically motivated decisions are hurting Ontario. These old lines parties need to put real solutions for Ontario before their political agendas.”

“Teachers came to the bargaining table with a wage freeze proposal. The McGuinty government’s decision to walk away from discussions shows their lack of integrity in the negotiating process,” says Schreiner. “Greens would work with teachers and education staff to identify savings and negotiate a fair wage freeze. Instead, McGuinty has chosen to undermine the bargaining process and introduce legislation that will likely be challenged in court costing the province time and money.”

The Liberals presented a revised version of their legislation, in an effort to receive support of the PCs, that would impose a contract on Ontario’s educational staff on Monday.

“I have had enough of the decline of political decorum at Queen’s Park ,” says Vaughan candidate Paula Conning. “I put my life on hold to run as the Green Party candidate to help stop the vicious cycle of power hungry political tacticians who seem to be running out province.”

The political rhetoric at Queen’s Park is further inflamed by two strategically called by elections in Kitchener-Waterloo and Vaughan.

“Voters in these by-elections can send a strong message to all the old line parties by voting Green,” adds Schreiner. “Only the Green Party has consistently offered new ideas that will serve to break down the vicious cycle of partisan games at Queen’s Park.”

Media Contact:
Rebecca Harrison
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
905-999-5479