More news from the ongoing teachers / government labour dispute, but nothing in the way of any movement, Thursday.
Finance Minister Mike de Jong announced the government will provide BC parents $40 per day for every child under 13 if the BC teachers strike continues into September.
However, the opposition isn’t taking today’s rebate announcement at face value.
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The NDP’s Education Critic Rob Fleming questions why this issue was released to the media by de Jong and not brought to the bargaining table.
“I don’t know why Mike de Jong is speaking for the government now on this dispute, where is the Minister of Education?” Fleming asks.
Beyond that, Flemming says it isn’t even the government’s money to be distributing, either.
“I think it’s just insulting,” he says. “It’s a slap in the face to school boards who are, ultimately, the administrator of school budgets, they are the employers and they provide resources to classes, but they weren’t even consulted.”
“It’s a concern, to see them do this in the media, rather than sit down at the negotiating table,” Fleming adds.
He says parents would rather see the government use its energies to reach a settlement with teachers, rather than doing, what he calls, a stunt.
Parents would apply on-line and cheques would likely not be issued until October. The program would be paid out of the $12 million the government saves each day if schools are strike-bound.
