" $ 5 6 " - * 5 4 r / & 8 4 COOL WELCOME FOR GPR’S NEW LIBERAL MPP
LE CANAL, UNE HAUTE PRIORITÉ POUR GRENVILLE
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
Ontario’s major education unions are all involved in rotating strikes and other actions. They protest delays in new contract negotiations and also govern- ment policy plans, which the unions say threaten Ontario’s education system. Last January 15, teachers, special educa- tion assistance staff, and other support workers set up picket lines in front of several schools in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, and also in front of the Cornwall office of SDG Progressive Conservative MPP Jim McDonell. It was the latest in a series of rotating picket line protests throughout the province, or- ganized by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF/FEESO), which represents secondary school teachers and special education staff in the French public and catholic school districts and in English public school districts. As of January 20, the Elementary Teach- ers Federation of Ontario (EFTO) and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Associa- tion (OECTA) launched their job actions. One of the goals for all the unions is to press the provincial government to respond to proposals at the bargaining table. The unions also want to increase public awareness of provincial government plans to reduce teaching and professional support staff, increase the number of students in classes, and other policy proposals which would result in less one-on-one time for Amanda Simard is now Glengarry- Prescott-Russell’s new Liberal MPP, but the welcome is not as warm in the riding as it was among her fellow Liberal MPPs at Queen’s Park. “The executive of the Glengarry-Prescott- Russell Liberal Association is deeply dis- appointed in the appointment of Amanda Simard,” stated the local Liberal riding association in an email to media. “The 12 members of the executive unanimously rejected the appointment of Mrs. Simard.” Jean-Marc Lalonde, a former MPP for the riding, who continues to be an ex officio member of the local association, criticized how party officials handled the decision to accept Simard into the ranks of the party. i8FQBSUJDVMBSMZEFQMPSFUIFGBDUUIBUUIJT decision was made in Toronto, by senior On- tario Liberal Party officials,” Lalonde stated in the notice, “without any local consultation or even notice to the GPRPLA. The ‘big Liberal family’ must include Glengarry-Prescott-Rus- TFMM8FUIFSFGPSFFYQFDUUIFOFYUMFBEFSPG the Ontario Liberal Party to commit unequivo- cally to an open and transparent nomination contest for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell for the 2022 election.” Local mayors Reaction from local mayors to Simard’s move, from being an Independent MPP to Liberal, ranged from indifferent to critical.
Amanda Simard est maintenant députée libérale à Queen’s Park après avoir été élue sous la bannière progressiste-conservatrice en juin 2018 (photo ci-dessus croquée le soir des élections). Son passage au Parti libéral ne fait pas l’unanimité au sein des instances libérales de Glengarry- Prescott-Russell qui déplorent ne pas avoir été consultés. —archives
“It’s her decision,” said Mayor François 4U"NPVSPG5IF/BUJPO.VOJDJQBMJUZ “It’s not going to make any difference to me,” said Mayor Robert Kirby of East Hawkesbury Township. “She wasn’t doing much for us before, but I wish her the best.” “I’m a little bit disappointed in her decision,” said Mayor Stéphane Sarrazin of Alfred-Plantagenet Township. “She was elected by the people of the riding as a Progressive Conservative candidate. It’s still four years that we don’t have a (government) ally in Toronto.” “She’s been Progressive Conservative,
she’s been Independent, and now Liberal, and she hasn’t accomplished much,” said Mayor Guy Desjardins of Clarence-Rockland. “Time will tell if she’s going to accomplish more than what she’s done so far.” Mayor Pierre Leroux of Russell Township is dealing with a matter involving a family member’s health and was not available to comment. Mayors Daniel Lafleur of Cas- selman, Paula Assaly of Hawkesbury, and /PSNBOE3JPQFMPG$IBNQMBJO5PXOTIJQ were occupied with delegation meetings at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference in Toronto at press time.
In 2020, Grenville Mayor Pierre Thauvette is set on locking in funds for the historic Grenville Canal, and giving its town a facelift. —photo André Farhat
ANDRÉ FARHAT andre.farhat@eap.on.ca
L’année 2020 s’annonce occupée pour l’administration de Grenville. De nombreux projets sont en cours ou à entreprendre, et un sujet demeure au haut de la liste des priorités. «En 2020, on parle encore du canal, a déclaré le maire de Grenville, Pierre Thauvette. L’an dernier, on a demandé une subvention conjointe de cinq- millions de dollars aux gouvernements fédéral et provincial.» Le maire Thauvette se dit déterminé à boucler le projet. «On a envoyé des lettres à tous les ministres concernés, même Justin Trudeau et François Legault», a-t-il dit, ajoutant qu’il continuera à insister auprès des gouvernements pour obtenir les fonds nécessaires pour réparer le canal historique. Pierre Thauvette a d’autres projets en tête, dont une marina attenante au canal, afin, entre autres, de révéler le cachet sous-exploité du village. «Les gens qui passent par Grenville nous disent à quel point ils trouvent ça beau», a-t-il affirmé fièrement. La voirie remise à niveau À l’écart des flots, Pierre Thauvette porte une attention à l’état de la voirie, prérogative qu’il a conservée depuis son entrée au poste de maire, et dont il était responsable alors qu’il était conseiller. Entre autres travaux, la réfection de la rue King a été incluse au budget. Et des résolutions? Enfin, lorsqu’on lui demande s’il a pris des résolutions pour 2020, Pierre Thauvette lance à la blague: «Vous savez, on prend des résolutions et on ne les tient pas. Alors, aussi bien ne pas en prendre!»
PICKET LINES PROTEST PROVINCIAL EDUCATION POLICIES GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
Les principaux syndicats de l’éducation de l’Ontario sont tous impliqués dans des grèves tournantes et d’autres actions de travail depuis le 20 janvier. Ils protestent contre les retards du gouvernement provincial dans les négociations de nouveaux contrats et aussi contre les plans de politique gouvernementale qui, selon les syndicats, menacent le système d’éducation de l’Ontario. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
has offered subsidies for parents who may need daycare or other child-minding service for Kindergarten and primary-grade students who end up staying home because of school closures during the job action. The govern- ment has received criticism for its subsidy offer from unions and some parents who say the money should go towards supporting provincial education programs.
teachers with students who need the extra attention, and no special support ser- vices available for students with learning difficulties. School districts urge parents of students to do regular checks of their websites for updated information on whether there will be any school closures as a result of the rotating strikes. The provincial government
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