news
Newsstand: June 1, 2015
In the news this first day of June: elementary teachers increase their work-to-rule campaign; the Pan Am Games torch relay opener was a rain-soaked affair; and one of the possible Scarborough subway line routes is less than ideal.
Starting today, the province’s public elementary school teachers will increase their work-to-rule campaign. Work-to-rule is a substitute (or sometimes a precursor) to striking, and involves doing certain tasks like teaching while either withholding some services or sticking to work-related rules to the extent that the smooth operation of their workplace is no longer feasible. In this current case, teachers are still teaching classes and doing field trips and extra-curricular activities, while withholding some administrative duties. The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario said the province’s “obstinacy” in its negotiations with ETFO was the reason for the increase in work-to-rule action.
The Pan Am Games torch relay opening events took place Saturday. A number of important athletes and politicians attended the event. Astronaut Chris Hadfield was the day’s last torch-bearer, walking it to a large cauldron where he lit the flame. More than 130 communities in Canada will be visited by the Torch during the relay. The Pan Am Games start on July 10, but presumably the cauldron fire in the Distillery District will be available for the public to see any time between now and then.
The Toronto Star has an examination of one of the proposed routes for the Scarborough subway extension, and it’s really fascinating stuff. Bellamy Road is the easternmost option being considered and seems in no way suited to host a subway: job density, housing density, and ridership are all too low. The province said this week that beyond the $1.48 billion it committed to the project in 2010, there is no more money for the Scarborough line, and the federal Conservative government didn’t return the Star‘s request for comment; they have promised $660 million for the project.