Snow and teachers. Teachers and snow. Did anything else happen since I left Halifax?
This week we speak to former NDP Finance Minister and current CBC pundit Graham Steele about the Liberal government’s strategy to impose a contract on Nova Scotia’s teachers. Will it succeed? Will any Liberal MLAs cross the floor? What effect will this have on other public sector unions in the province? And, how will this impact the next election?
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I’m naive, I guess, but isn’t one possible reason for the debate over the bill to persuade other members for or against the bill, or in favour of amendments? Is the party line that strong that debate is meaningless? Sigh.
“Third Reading
The final stage in the consideration of a bill. Members have a chance to comment on, criticize, or ask questions about the bill again before voting on it for the last time. Third reading debate is usually limited to brief comments supporting or opposing the bill.”
Mr. Steele offers some useful procedural explanation, but often his political analysis is contradictory and oddly dismissive of broader social activism. It’s one perspective to consider, but it must be supplemented by others.