CASE CONTINUES | Judge hears more testimony during former teacher’s trial at Vernon courthouse [A5]
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Hospital awaits word on funds
MAJOR MURAL
RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
JOSÉ LAROCHELLE/MORNING STAR
Graffiti artist Benny Hannya works on a wall-sized mural commissioned by the Vernon Public Art Gallery inside the City of Vernon’s parkade on 31st Avenue.
Funding details for Vernon Jubilee Hospital are just a few weeks away. Health Minister Michael de Jong will be in Vernon April 2 or 3 to announce capital spending for new acute care beds in VJH’s Polson tower. “It will be a positive announcement and the details of the announcement will be released when he’s here,” said Eric Foster, Vernon-Monashee MLA. Foster, community leaders, health care workers and residents have been demanding the two shelled-in floors in Eric Foster the tower be completed and beds added to resolve capacity issues. Overcrowding has led to cancelled surgeries and patients being kept in hallways. Foster hasn’t been given an indication if there will be funding for both floors or just one at this time. “I’d like two floors. There are financial benefits to doing the job all at once instead of spreading it out over two or three years,” he said. “I hope that whatever we do, it will relieve the backlog.”
Extracurricular activities get the axe RICHARD ROLKE
of a teacher’s job. action. “It’s voluntary but I volunteer as a par“The government is going ahead in spite Sports teams are benched and clubs in ent. I fundraise so they have money for their of the legitimate objections we have,” said limbo as teachers escalate opposition to the classrooms and for field trips,” she said. Cummings of class size and composition. government. “I can see their point, but Cummings isn’t sure how a Teachers in the Vernon School it’s disappointing.” ban on extracurricular events District will not volunteer for Some teachers have stopped will impact graduation cerextracurricular activities to provolunteering with sports teams emonies. test the provincial government’s and other groups now, while “A lot of parents are legislation, which imposes a netothers will complete what they involved so it may not make zero wage settlement and class have started or not start anya lot of difference to graduasize levels. thing new. tion,” he said, adding parents “We’re in the middle. It’s frus“It’s extremely difficult and and community members can Rundell Cummings trating,” said Nicole Makohoniuk, it reflects how serious the situavolunteer as coaches or club District Parent Advisory Council tion is,” said Bruce Cummings, sponsors. president, of the government and the Vernon Teachers Association president. Cummings denies the union is putting union. “These extras are not part of our job. students in the middle of the contract dis“It feels like parents and kids are being That (withdrawal) is all that’s left to us pute. held hostage.” because legal avenues are gone.” “Will they be affected by this, yes. Are Makohoniuk understands that many Once legislation is passed, the union will they affected by Bill 22, hugely. Have they sports team and club activities are not part not be able to strike or pursue other job been affected by 10 years of cuts, enorMorning Star Staff
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mously,” he said. “We don’t take this lightly. We’re working hard to improve education.” School district officials say administrators will be unable to keep extracurricular programs going. “It will have a huge impact on the culture of schools and that worries me,” said Bev Rundell, superintendent, adding some sports may continue with community coaches. A priority will be grad planning. “Grad activities may be different if it’s just principals and vice-principals involved in the organizing,” said Rundell. Besides Vernon, teachers in other districts have decided to withdraw from extracurricular activities. They include KamloopsThompson, Sooke, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, Prince George, Peace River South, Creston, West Vancouver, Okanagan Skaha and Sea-to-Sky.