Editor:
So Minister of Education Peter Fassbender was flummoxed by the Supreme Court decision, and he was unable to answer any questions. Really, what's the sticking point?
When a Supreme Court judge rules for the second time that a provincial government violated teachers' constitutional rights and bargained in bad faith, then swift government action is required. And in this case, that includes a comprehensive set of next steps and a realistic budget that will honour this whole court ruling.
We know that the premier and Minister of Education are elected to make difficult choices, but the law is the law. The majority of B.C.ers expect our government to abide by the law. In other words, pay the fine and find a way to work this out at the bargaining table with the employers - the school boards, teachers and support staff working together.
Do I need to point out that this way forward is a logical fit with Premier Clark's B.C. Jobs Plan?
By restoring smaller class sizes and hiring staff to meet the retroactive aspects of the ruling, the provincial government will recreate much-needed jobs across all of B.C.
Surely the opposition would support a new plan to reinvest in public education and promote educational stability and a children/youth and family-first agenda.
Sounds like a "win-win" opportunity - nothing to be flummoxed by at all.
Dianne Goldberg, Halfmoon Bay
