Straight Talk

Christy Clark government stiffs Vancouver school district with funding announcement

by Charlie Smith on November 12th, 2015 at 11:19 PM
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      Education Minister Mike Bernier has announced $35 million in funding for 109 school projects across the province.

      But not a single one of them is in Vancouver.

      The money was awarded under B.C's routine capital program. It funds such areas as heating and ventilation, roof repairs, and upgrades to windows, lighting, and electrical systems.

      Vancouver had requested $5 million.

      Rocky Mountain school district, Vernon school district, Kamloops/Thompson school district, and Peace River South school district each had four projects approved.

      Bernier represents Peace River South in the legislature.

      Several other districts had three projects approved.

      Voters in Vancouver-Point Grey defeated Premier Christy Clark in her constituency in the 2013 election. Vancouverites elected seven NDP MLAs compared to just four for the B.C. Liberals.

      Vision Vancouver trustee Patti Bacchus took to Twitter to slam the government's decision to exclude her district from having access to the funds.

      In June, the only Green trustee, Janet Fraser, cast a deciding vote to elect the NPA's Fraser Ballantyne as the chair of the Vancouver school board.

      In a statement issued at the time, Fraser cited several factors behind her decision not to support Bacchus as chair.

      "There are many Ministry of Education decisions I profoundly disagree with," Fraser wrote. "However it is important that the Vancouver School Board has a working relationship with the provincial government so that we can successfully act on our many challenges ahead including responding to the special advisor’s report, submitting balanced budgets and moving forward as quickly as possible with the seismic mitigation program."

      Bacchus made it clear tonight that she disagrees with what she described as the NPA and Greens' "polite approach" in dealing with the B.C. Liberal government.

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