March 23rd, 2017

Local NDP MPPs urge minister of education to end Niagara lockout

Today,Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates and Ontario NDP Labour Critic and Welland MPP Cindy Forster called for Premier Kathleen Wynne's education minister to put an immediate end to the Niagara Catholic District School board (NCDSB ) lockout so that thousands of affected school children and their families can get back to the classroom.

“Coming from significant experience at the bargaining table, resorting to a lockout will only have damaging impacts on the students and families caught in the middle of this dispute.  As adults and especially as elected representatives, we serve as role-models to the students. The Liberal minister needs to put an immediate stop to the lockout so our students and teachers can get back to the classroom,” said Gates.

Thousands of students have been affected by the lockout. Over 460 other school boards in the province have reached agreements and NCDSB is one of three that has yet to settle. 

“Let’s not forget that it’s the Liberal government and Premier Wynne’s short-changing education with a flawed funding formula that has been divisive and that has ultimately caused these disruptions. Teachers and students just want to go back to school,” said Forster.

Gates and Forster are calling on the education minister to put an immediate end to the lockout and call both parties back to the bargaining table.