Not that long ago the B.C. Liberal government gave themselves a huge pay increase, without any debate in the House, regardless of the sagging economic conditions which were caused by their failed policies since they came to power in 2001.
To add insult to injury, the same government gave their senior civil servants large pay increases to match. The Premier's salary shot from $126,638 to $187,589, a $60,951 jump in one year. The lions share of the MLA's increases went to the 46-member B.C. Liberal caucus, at an average of $26,000 increase in one year.
The government have held public servants such as teachers, hospital workers, ferry workers and many others to a 0 per cent increases since they came to power in 2001, and intend to continue to do so until they are defeated in 2013. The B.C. Liberal government's Bill 22 proposes to fine each teacher $475 each day and their Union $1.3 million if they should go on strike after passage of the bill. This is because the B.C. Liberals supposedly deemed teachers essential employees.
Four hundred and seventy five dollars is a ridiculous amount of money as no teacher makes that much per day. The B.C. Liberal ads claim that they have the interests of the children in mind. That could not be further from the truth.
One only has to look at statistics.
British Columbia has the highest number of families and children in poverty, eight years straight. That is a shameful record. Statistics Canada estimates that the poverty rate in B.C. for children over six years of age is 16.4 per cent and rises to 20.2 per cent for children under six years of age - all considerably higher than the Canadian average for the past eight years. That percentage would equal the total populations of Fort St. John, Port Alberni, Powell River and Kamloops combined.
Many teachers in B.C. schools have taken it upon themselves, with their own money, to collect children's clothing and food and bring it to their schools for needy children.
I know of a teacher who, at her own expense, keeps crackers and other food in her classroom to feed the children who come to school hungry because their families are poor.
I am not a teacher and have long since retired, but I fully support the teachers and their strike.
Andy Kozyniak
Prince George
