Ontario Liberals try again Friday to legislate an end to the college strike

Advanced Education Minister Deb Matthews said she is disappointed the New Democrats aren’t co-operating with the government’s desire to allow students to return to classes on Monday. (Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg from Utrecht, The Netherlands – Minister Deb Matthews, Deputy Premier; Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development et the Creative Commons Global Summit 2017, CC BY 2.0)

TORONTO — The Ontario government will try again today to introduce back-to-work legislation to end a nearly five-week strike by college faculty.

Around 500,000 students have been out of class since the strike by 12,000 professors, instructors, counsellors, and librarians began Oct.

15.

The government tried Thursday to introduce a back-to-work bill to get students back to class, but it required unanimous support and the New Democrats did not give their consent.

The government says if the bill is blocked again today, the legislature will sit through the weekend until it is pushed through.

Advanced Education Minister Deb Matthews said she is disappointed the New Democrats aren’t co-operating with the government’s desire to allow students to return to classes on Monday.

But NDP House leader Gilles Bisson says the government has had five weeks to try to find a settlement and accuses the Liberals of creating what he calls “this crisis.

”

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has said her party does not support any legislation that erodes workers’ rights.