In Keewatin-Patricia District School Board v. Ontario
Secondary School Teachers' Federation, 2019 ONSC 7102, the
Ontario Divisional Court dismissed an application for judicial
review of Arbitrator Michael Lynk's decision upholding the
grievance of a teacher alleging that she was laid off out of
seniority order. The court rejected the Keewatin-Patricia District
School Board's (the Board) position that the arbitration award
was unreasonable because it misapprehended the Board's
obligation to provide the "best possible educational
program" as stipulated in subsection 19(1) of Regulation 298
under the Education Act.
Facts
Due to declining enrollment following the 2012-2013 academic
year, the Board was required to reduce six full-time positions at
Beaver Brae Secondary School (Beaver Brae or the School) for the
2013-2014 year. In making its decisions about who to lay off, the
Board retained Kim Remus (Ms. Remus), a junior teacher, over Karen
Edwards (Ms. Edwards), a