Ford’s in Town? Let’s Shut him Down!

On March 22, well over a hundred teachers, students, parents and other protesters gathered in front of Ottawa’s Walter Baker Sports Centre where Doug Ford was the guest of honour at a “spaghetti dinner” with other local Tories.

With chants of “No Cuts to Education” and signs that targeted both increased class sizes and cuts to autism support in Ontario, teachers and their supporters spent an hour and a half in freezing temperatures trying to intercept Ford and expose his anti-education policies.

As Ford arrived, protesters circled the building towards the side door to confront him as he tried to sneak past those gathered at the front entrance. As cars driving by honked their horns in support, the protesters stood their ground with chanting and drumming. There were contingents from the major teacher unions in Ontario: OSSTF (secondary), ETFO (elementary), OECTA (Catholic), as well as flags from CUPE locals, PSAC, OPSEU, and ACORN, and support from the Canadian Federation of Students.

Signs read: “’Back to Basics’ is NOT a well-rounded education” and “Let teachers teach.” It was a fantastic show of defiance from yet another front of the anti-Ford resistance.