The Liberals’ hope for peace may be wishful thinking,

The Ontario Liberals seem to hope that by imposing contracts on teachers, then repealing the enabling legislation, they can put all this unpleasantness behind them before the new premier takes office — and before the Liberals face an election.

That may prove to be wishful thinking.

Education Minister Laurel Broten gave a strange press conference on Thursday, in which she defended Bill 115, saying it had done what the government wanted it to do, saying she would use it to impose contracts on teachers — and then saying the government would repeal Bill 115 because it has become a political “lightning rod.” If Bill 115 had been as great as Broten seems to think, it wouldn’t have become a lightning rod. It’s as if the government expects that so long as the law is off the books, nobody will remember how it was used. If Broten’s wish comes true, then extracurricular activities will resume, the government will get the wage savings it wants to help bring down the deficit, and that will be that.

Maybe. Imposing these contracts was probably an inevitable step. Indeed, the government’s position never left much room for negotiation anyway, which raises the question of why the school system had to suffer through the last few months if the government was never willing to budge.

Maybe Broten’s action will end the current disruptions in schools. But the government has muddied its philosophy of how to deal with public sector wages, and probably worsened the relationship with teachers. And a wage freeze — however necessary it may be — is not a sustainable way to bring down costs in the long run. This is only the beginning, and the government has not put the conditions in place for fruitful public-sector reform over the next few years. If the government refuses to implement many of the cost-cutting measures in the Drummond report, it will have to find the money elsewhere — or let the fiscal situation get even further out of its control.

The two opposition parties have taken more clear positions. The NDP opposed Bill 115, saying it got in the way of “respectful conversation.” The Progressive Conservatives have said the government must use the powers in Bill 115 and be tough with teachers’ unions.

The Liberals are trying to occupy some middle ground, but they come out looking as if they don’t have the courage of their convictions. In repealing their own legislation, they’re disavowing the approach they’ve taken.

For the Liberals who hope to win the leadership contest, this might create some useful distance between the present and future Liberal party. That’s cold comfort to teachers, parents and taxpayers.