Former Mayor Larry Di Ianni and Mr. Ecklund's daughter Erika

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LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

former Mayor of Hamilton, Larry Di IanniNDP Hypocrisy Hurts 50,000 York U Students

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted January 26, 2009)

Let me get the full disclosure out of the way. One of my children is a student at York U, in her fourth year of a 5-year program. This is a crucial time in her career. She, and we, along with 50,000 other students and their parents have been patiently waiting for the bargaining process to work its way through the system. It hasn’t. We are personally inconvenienced and regret our daughter being played like a pawn in this high-stakes political game.

Never mind that the economy is in the dumpster. Never mind that CUPE was offered a pretty fair wage settlement to consider. Never mind all of that. The important fact to consider after 11 weeks of educational inactivity is the impact on young adults’ lives. This is the tragedy of a never-ending strike.

Now, after so many weeks, and after Premier McGuinty promised to allow the bargaining process to work, he has recalled the legislature to order CUPE back to work. Many of us who believe in the bargaining process feel that this is about time. John Tory has been calling for this legislation for over a month now. That would have been too early for the government to meddle in the process. Now is a bit too late. The right time would have been several weeks ago at about the 8 week mark. If you can’t settle a contract in 8 weeks of strike, then impasse is the reality of the day. The government should have acted. However, better they act a bit late than not at all.

And the NDP’s position is puzzling and frustrating. They will not support back to work legislation but would rather see the two sides back at the bargaining table. How ideological and silly. Howard, they have been on strike for 11 weeks now and haven’t settled. What part of the word dead-lock don’t you understand?

The NDP’s position is befuddling especially because this is the same party that sent striking TTC workers back to work within two days of their strike. Why wasn’t Hampton standing on his high ‘bargaining’ horse then? Might it have something to do that all of Toronto with its NDP seats would have punished the party at the polls? Contrast that to the 50,000 scattered votes across the province and the NDP is rolling the dice, betting that such a diffuse population can be managed. They also know that the Liberal/Conservative support is enough to send the students back to the classroom, so the NDP might be able to have its ideological cake and eat it too. Such crass politics from a party that espouses the highest virtues is more than disappointing, it is shameful.

One needs to also note that the NDP is in the middle of a leadership vote, and they don’t wish to offend the 25% union membership that will help elect Howard’s successor. I can understand this. So, why not call a spade a spade and level with the people of Ontario? This honesty would have been a lot more palatable than the posturing and high ideals mouthed ever so insincerely by Mr. Hampton this morning, on the eve of the legislature’s return to do right by 50,000 students. Thanks for nothing Mr. Hampton and the NDP!

Stay tuned for part two after the vote is taken. We will look at our local members statements at Queen’s Park.

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