October 7th, 2019

Horwath calls for Ford to come out of hiding and face parents after narrowly avoiding strike

QUEEN’S PARK - Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says Doug Ford needs to come out of hiding following a narrowly averted education workers’ strike that would have closed schools across Ontario.

“Doug Ford did everything he could to pick a fight and move ahead with an agenda of cuts and chaos. Yesterday, while parents were left wondering whether classes would be on, he was missing in action,” said Horwath.

Ford’s education cuts have already had a devastating effect on schools: education work positions and 10,000 teaching positions are being eliminated, high school students have seen course options vanish and schools are cutting back on everything from library time for students to cleaning in kindergarten classrooms.

While parents across Ontario have worried about what’s happening at their schools, Doug Ford has gone into hiding: avoiding parents and being unavailable to media at Queen’s Park. Horwath called on Ford to come out of hiding and reverse his education cuts.

“The Premier gave himself five months off, but recess is over,” said Horwath. “It’s time for him to stop denying the impact of his education cuts, reverse them today and work with the people who make our schools work instead of attacking them.”