A fairer Ford government? Not so fast ...

Will wonders never cease?

The same week it announced a willingness to back off on its draconian changes to Ontario high school class sizes, the Ford government surprises the province by abandoning plans to force municipal amalgamation on cities.

What’s up? Could it be that on their forced hiatus from the public eye, Ford and friends actually recognized the error of their ways and opted for a more consultative, democratic, respectful approach? Maybe. And maybe not.

Consider the class size compromise. It is being described in some quarters as a retreat or “walking back” a reform already resulting in some classrooms having more than 40 students and in students not being able to take courses they need to graduate.

No doubt the government, especially Education Minister Stephen Lecce, is pleased with that interpretation because it aids in efforts to resurrect Ford’s rock-bottom popularity. The problem is that’s not what’s really going on here.

First off, the so-called retreat isn’t that. Originally the government planned to allow average class sizes of 28. (Keep in mind that average class sizes don’t mean maximum, which is why many classes are much higher than the average.) As part of bargaining with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation — which is going badly, to say the least — the province offered to reduce that to 25. That’s not as bad, but it’s bad enough considering the average size now is 22.5. This is a moderate compromise at best, not a retreat.

What’s more, there is a central hypocrisy here on the part of the government. Back in March it announced the class size changes and insisted they were in the best interest of students. Now they’re admitting that wasn’t the case and this is all about negotiating to achieve less savings than they originally hoped for. What you won’t hear Lecce acknowledge is that the changes never had anything to do with student welfare, and had everything to do with saving money and reducing teaching jobs.

Adding insult to this injury is the fact that this bargaining ploy contains a “poison pill.” In return for agreeing to a smaller increase, the union would also need to agree to having all class size cap rules removed from local bargaining and put entirely at the whim of government.

All that makes this bargaining gambit a nonstarter with the union, which is quite understandable. Prospects for labour peace are worse, not better.

The municipal amalgamation matter is a legitimate reversal. The government arbitrarily decided to study Ontario cities with an eye to cutting the size of government, then it announced a panel to do consultations. After hearing from the consultants Ford and friends apparently decided forced amalgamation would do little to turn their fortunes around.

Instead, the government plans to do something quite sensible. It will give some money to municipalities for them to study efficiencies and how to better operate and hopefully save taxpayer money.

Imagine that. An incentive to encourage innovation and efficiency instead of a sledge hammer.

There is some reason for optimism here, but we have to wonder why this government keeps making the same mistake — arbitrarily decide what to do, then consult, then listen and realize the original idea was deeply flawed. Why not do the consulting and listening first and then reform based on that?

Had it done that on so many other fronts, Ford and friends would not have incurred the battle scars and lost credibility they brought on themselves.