[LabComm] Premier failing leadership test on education dispute

[BC NDP NEWSWIRE]

Premier failing leadership test on education dispute



VICTORIA - Premier Gordon Campbell continues to fail students and parents by refusing to talk to teachers to re-open B.C. schools, NDP Education Critic John Horgan said today.

Horgan said that the Premier seems content to let 600,000 students lose millions more classroom days while the crisis threatens to spiral out of control.

"Premier Campbell should stop the pointless 'tough talk' and open up lines of communication to find common ground and an end to this impasse," said Horgan.  

"To date, all Mr. Campbell has done is increase confrontation and add to the tension.  His approach is not working for B.C.'s parents and students."

Horgan said that 3 million school days have already been missed by students in this dispute. He said millions more will be lost if the government continues to refuse to talk to teachers.

In 2004, during a dispute with the Hospital Employees Union, the government opened lines of communication to find a settlement.  Horgan said that by contrast the government insists on taking a hard-line political approach in this dispute, refusing to look for a settlement.

"Gordon Campbell backed himself into a corner with legislation that increased tension and frustration.  But B.C. parents and children should not have to pay for the Premier's short-sighted confrontational approach to education," said Horgan.  "It's time for the Premier to step back, get talking with B.C. teachers, and find a solution that gets students back into the classroom.

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