Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Music Monday will be very different this year for students and teachers, but for Karen Withers’ class, their Monday lesson will start the way it always does - whether in school or virtually - with a joke: What kind of soap did the composer use? ... anti-BACH-terial soap! It is one of the ways Withers, a music teacher at Nanaimo’s Ecole Pauline Haarer elementary, is helping her students continue to feel a sense of routine and normalcy while in-class learning is suspended and school lessons happen remotely. “ Bringing music to students and creating lifelong lovers of music has always been a passion of mine ,” said Withers. “ In this unusual situation we find ourselves, I really wanted to be a source of connection and comfort for my students, the majority of whom I have taught for many years. At this same time, I wanted to create some normalcy in the school lives by continuing with programs we do on a regular basis .” Music Monday, celebrated this yea...

BC Education Minister Rob Fleming - photo BC government YouTube video A media release from the BC governments Education Ministry, this morning, stated: Hundreds more Vancouver students will soon be learning in a safe school  as seismic upgrades are coming to David Livingstone Elementary. “ Nothing is more important than the safety of our students ,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. So, what exactly does “ soon be learning ” mean to the government, when it comes to the “ safety of our children ”? Well apparently soon , at least to this government, means work will begin over a year from now (Spring 2021) ... and being completed will take nearly two and a half years (Fall 2023). Which is why I find this statement from Vancouver – Kensington NDP MLA Mable Elmore little more than propaganda ... and an excuse, at taxpayer expense, to take a shot at the opposition party.   “ People in our community have been waiting for Dav...

One of the things I looked forward to, after the decimation of public education under the BC Liberals, was seeing classrooms thrive again. I, like most parents, didn’t expect miracles to happen overnight…the system was so underfunded all education advocates knew it would take time to restore things to where it should be. I knew the NDP was passionate about education and when I retired from blogging, I felt little need to follow BC education closely. But having seen what’s coming down the pipeline now, I feel urgently compelled to write and ask that this post is shared far and wide so as many parents of kids and teens with special needs, learning disabilities or any challenges that require classroom support see it as soon as possible. And when I write this, I want you to know that this perspective is coming from myself not just as a government critic, but as a parent of a teen with challenges, who I have had to fight to have classroom supports for, his entire time in the ...

Shortening commutes for tens of thousands, reducing congestion, boosting the economy, saving the environment, proven effectiveness, improving employers’ bottom line, fantastic Return on Investment (ROI) – why delay? Commuting is a twice-daily living nightmare for millions of workers in this province, and congestion keeps getting worse. Businesses groups on the North Shore and in the Sidney area have been calling for action. They cite long commutes as adversely impacting recruiting of new employees, absenteeism,  morale, mental and physical health, productivity and retention, while congestion can cripple their freighting and delivery efficiency. Health authorities and school districts are similarly struggling to find, motivate, and retain good employees while keeping HR costs in line. Currently politicians at the federal, provincial and municipal levels are assembling multi-billion-dollar commitments to expand transportation and transit infrastructure, the s...

On Wednesday Judy Darcy, the Minister responsible for Mental Health and Addictions, announced schools in British Columbia will now have access to enhanced wellness supports and programs with $8.87 million being invested over the next three years.  “ Students need a safe place to say, ‘I’m not ok’, whether they’re struggling with anxiety or depression or any mental health issue ”, said Darcy. “ This investment will help provide students, parents and educators with the tools they need to support mental well-being for students across BC for years to come .” Funding will be used to provide individual grants to all 60 school districts, as well as independent schools, to help them better support mental health for all children and for those with substance-use challenges. While I agree fully with the need for resources to help students with mental health issues, such as anxiety, stress, and depression, can our NDP government truly say this financial inje...