Premier Christy Clark has nothing new to say, NDP, BCTF and B.C. Conservatives slam government

PREMIER Christy Clark on Wednesday only ended up repeating her government’s stand in the teachers’ dispute, blaming the teachers for the strike and saying only they could end it.

She wanted the union to return to negotiations with a fair wage proposal and rejected the demand for a $5,000 signing bonus.

 

NDP Leader John Horgan slammed Clark, saying, “She brought the same immaturity that we’ve been seeing from the B.C. Liberals for the past 12 months.”

He also said: “The court decisions around class size and class composition must be addressed at the front end of any negotiations not after the fact`.”

 

THE B.C. Teachers’ Federation President Jim Iker said the province is not willing to move on the most important issue which was more support for BC school kids.

He accused the government of trying to prolong the shutdown. Iker noted that there had been underfunding for the past 12 years and the government needed to re-think its priorities. 

 

DAN Brooks, Leader of the BC Conservative Party, said: “Twice, Premier Clark and her BC Liberal colleagues have imposed unconstitutional – that is, illegal – legislation on public-school teachers.

“Moreover, the Clark government has been ordered to pay $2 million to the B.C. Teachers’ Federation because it refused to negotiate in ‘good faith’ with the teachers’ union.

“Yet, today after returning from a summer-long recess where she virtually disappeared from public view, she has the temerity to suggest that the dispute is all the fault of the teachers – while she accepts none of the responsibility herself.”