Toews ‘concerned’ about ongoing professors’ strike
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/11/2011 (5259 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says it’s time the provincial government steps in to intervene in the Brandon University faculty strike.
“I have to tell you, I’m very concerned,” said Toews, Manitoba’s regional cabinet minister, in an editorial board meeting with the Brandon Sun on Monday.
“I think the situation in Brandon, I’m quite concerned and I believe the government should move in with some kind of active step beyond what is happening now. This has a long-term significant impact. I wouldn’t be surprised if they lose a significant number of students as a result of this. People have got to start looking around, saying ‘I’m going to go to the U of (Winnipeg) or the U of (Manitoba) or the University of Saskatchewan.”
Toews said he has encouraged local Progressive Conservatives to speak out on the Brandon University strike, but has not yet spoken to Premier Greg Selinger.
“At this point, I’m not going to say anything, but I am growing increasingly concerned about this,” Toews said. “This is not just a one-month strike. This has a long-term impact and as a regional minister, I’m concerned about that.”
To elaborate, Toews used the example of an education student in their graduating year who may already have a job lined up after graduation.
“This could potentially kill an entire year of salary and I’m surprised they haven’t found some kind of mechanism to get this strike resolved,” Toews said. “This is really unacceptable.”
Toews said the federal government will act if the strike affects a fragile economy, using the recent labour disputes within Canada Post and Air Canada as examples.
“There has been a lot of debate inside our caucus about this, but when you look at things like Air Canada and the damage it could have done with that air carrier and the economy, it justifies us moving in,” Toews said. “There’s lots of people in caucus that say, let these things run their course, especially when it’s a government kind of situation. How can you get a contract that really reflects the true economic value of services without it going on strike?”
While the federal government has acted quickly to end strikes, Toews said it has no jurisdiction to act in the Brandon University strike. The significant federal funding is provided to post-secondary institutions does not trump the fact the provincial government controls the labour law that applies to the university strike.
“I see this strike as counterproductive to what we have been doing, but I try to stay out of provincial matters as much as possible,” Toews said. “I have to say, I’m concerned (about) the inability of the participants to recognize the economic damage this can do to a small centre like Brandon.”
»kborkowsky@brandonsun.com