Last Sunday, Dalton McGuinty introduced back-to-work legislation in a bid to end the strike by teaching assistants and contract faculty that began on November 6. The Legislature is divided on the issue of the bill, which is supported by the Conservatives, but the province’s NDP party is in opposition, saying that the government is giving an advantage to the university and should not interfere in the negotiations. The bill has passed and the students will be returning to class.

The Premier made the decision after the mediator announced at a press conference on Saturday that the two parties were in a deadlock and that legislation would be the only way to go beyond the impasse.

Various student groups including the York Federation of Students are relieved that classes will resume shortly, since the academic year of 50,000 undergraduate students is now in jeopardy at the country’s third largest university.

Yesterday, Premier Dalton McGuinty performed a cabinet shuffle including appointing a new Minister to the Ministry of Labour. Peter Fonesca was appointed the new Minister of Labor, replacing Brad Duguid who was moved to Aboriginal Affairs. Fonesca was previously Minister of Tourism, but brings a substantial amount of experience in employment and labour relations to his new position. For more information on his experience, see his biography on the Ministry of Labour’s website. It remains to be seen how his mandate will be fulfilled in light of Ontario’s current economic situation.