The Supreme Court had already fallen into the trap of thinking that "government" pays for education, health care and all the employees that provide the same. They don't. Government has no money apart from what it collects in taxes
Wages and benefits for unionized government employees make up more than half of every dollar spent by provincial and local governments in Canada.
This is why the current legal battle between the BC teachers' union and the BC government is so important. Their decade-long fight is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada this November, and if the union wins, it will mean no duly-elected government in Canada could legislate policy contrary to anything negotiated with a union.
Government union bosses across the country know that the result is vitally important in keeping their gravy train running. Eighteen unions applied to the Supreme Court for intervenor status--12 were accepted. Only one citizens' group on the other side of the argument applied--the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF)--and it was rejected.
