The Moment: the Bill 115 dust-up has been as mature as a cafeteria food fight

When a relationship goes sour, both sides tend to behave badly. McGuinty, the self-styled Education Premier, went first: his introduction of Bill 115 in the summer, a preemptive strike against job action, was autocratic and ill-conceived. Ending the boom-era benefit of banked sick days was reasonable; circum­venting contract negotiations and banning strikes was not. The unions went next: they curtailed extracurriculars, which wrought havoc on track meets, holiday concerts and chess clubs, and then opted for rolling one-day walkouts. Along the way, both sides forgot the first thing any two-bit couples therapist will tell you: no matter how bitter the breakup, don’t take it out on the kids.