RE: Public Education

Dear Premier Christy Clark,

I am concerned by your approach to public education. As you may know, I have two small children. My son is in grade two, and my daughter, who is almost three, is already very excited about joining her big brother at school.

Over the course of the last two days, MLAs have been debating the Speech from the Throne. As I noted on Tuesday after the 4th session of the 40th parliament of the Province of British Columbia was opened, I am of the view that despite mounting challenges facing families in British Columbia, the Throne Speech advanced no new ideas about how to grow the economy or help those who are most in need. I will be offering my response in the Legislature on Monday.

The Fall 2014 session of the Legislature has concluded with the passage of the LNG emission and taxation bills. Watch Andrew Weaver report on the debates and votes, along with events and issues that affect the riding of Oak Bay – Gordon Head and everyone around the province.

Today, for the second time since I was elected, I stood alone in the legislature.

This fall brought our elected representatives back to Victoria to debate the government’s singular plan to develop an LNG export industry in British Columbia. Our new session started on Monday with the government’s Speech from the Throne.

Today in the House I rose to provide my response to the speech from the throne. In it outlined a different vision from the government. That vision is for a diversified, sustainable 21st century economy.

Today I rose in the legislature to give the required two day’s notice that I will bring forward an amendment to the Throne Speech. Delta South Independent MLA Vicki Huntington seconded my notice of motion.

When I speak to the Throne Speech, and subsequently the amendment on Thursday, I will outline an alternative vision for diversified, sustainable, 21st century economy.

On Saturday, September 6, Education Minister Peter Fassbender announced that the BC government was rejecting the BC Teachers' Federation's proposal to seek binding arbitration in order to bring the ongoing labour dispute to an end.

Binding arbitration is a time-tested means of ending labour disputes when face-to-face negotiations and mediation break down. That the government dismissed it suggests that they are not interested in reaching a fair settlement. 

It is time to end this strike. It’s time to stop playing politics with our children, teachers, and parents. It’s time for Minister Fassbender and Premier Clark to do what is right, to do what is clearly in the public interest, and to agree to what is really the only fair solution to ending this strike: binding arbitration. 

Green Party of BC MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Andrew Weaver, has started a petition calling on the BC government to accept the BCTF's invitation to binding arbitration. Will you add your name?

The response has been incredible: less that 20 hours after first launching the petition, it already had over 8000 signatures! 

Will you add your voice, and invite your friends, family and neighbours to do the same? Together we are making a difference.

Click here to sign the petition.

Victoria B.C. – Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head and Deputy Leader of the BC Green Party welcomes the call today from the BC Teachers Federation for binding arbitration in the ongoing education dispute.

“It’s time to resolve this dispute and get our children back into the classroom,” says Andrew Weaver. “The signs are clear that mediation isn’t working; we need another way to bring the two sides together. Binding arbitration is a perfectly reasonable request. The government will look entirely unreasonable if they do not agree”.

At the end of June I wrote a piece thanking the many thousands of British Columbia teachers. I congratulated them for working hard with our children over the school year providing them an education ranked among the best in Canada and envied around the world.

I am grateful for teachers who go the extra 1.6 kilometres. I am thankful that they help me identify areas that my child needs help and highlight areas where he excels. I recognize that they do their very best to provide an environment for all our children to succeed.