David Mastin

The Ford government has tabled Bill 101 — the Putting Student Achievement First Act — replacing elected directors of education with CEOs requiring business credentials, gutting trustees' budget and bargaining powers, and mandating government-approved lesson plans in every classroom, while education unions warn it is a roadmap to corporate control of Ontario's public schools.

As ETFO president, Mastin led the union's public rejection of Bill 101 on April 13, 2026, describing it as "an unprecedented rollback of local democracy" and warning that the mandatory government-approved resources mandate and CEO governance structure represent a roadmap toward privatizing Ontario's public education system.

Collective agreements for Ontario teachers expire August 31, 2026, and most schools return September 8. Talks have stalled over whether items are bargained centrally or locally, ETFO and OSSTF remain without agreements, and both unions say strike action is not off the table.

As ETFO President, Mastin spoke publicly on August 18, 2026 as bargaining between Ontario teachers' unions and the province stalled over whether items are bargained centrally or locally. ETFO does not have an agreement. Mastin said strike action is not off the table, stating: "we are going to fight." Teacher collective agreements expire August 31, 2026, and most schools return September 8, 2026.

A leaked Ministry of Education ad script obtained by The Trillium shows actors playing parents criticizing teacher unions over sick days and doctor's notes, produced while five major education unions have suspended bargaining. Education Minister Paul Calandra defended the campaign; ETFO's president called it a taxpayer-funded smear campaign.

ETFO president who said "educators deserve respect, not taxpayer-funded government smear campaigns" and that the government is "spending public dollars working with a public relations firm to shamefully produce attack ads." At ETFO's August 17, 2026 annual meeting he told educators "the government is coming after our sick leave" and that ministers would "leave out that some of our members do not have access."

Ontario now routes elementary teachers' $750 classroom supply allowance through a single Staples portal, which The Trillium reports is a $66 million program. Since it launched on Sept. 1, teachers have reported prices above what their boards paid before, orders stuck without shipping details, and some teachers have been told they cannot get full access until Oct. 9.

The ETFO president told Global News on September 21, 2026, about teachers' reports of higher portal prices: "That's to be expected, Staples is a corporation, they're in it to make a profit."