The Chilliwack
Progress Friday
15
3
28
Brick by Brick
Erwin
Hockey
Chilliwack students are working to help students in Kenya.
Demolition should take about a month.
A night for Chilliwack Chief fans.
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Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • F R I D AY, F E B R U A R Y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4
Appeal court stays order to reorganize schools
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Tom Fletcher Black Press The B.C. Court of Appeal has suspended a lower court ruling that would force B.C.’s school districts to reorganize around teacher contract terms that were scrapped by the government in 2002. Education Minister Peter Fassbender said the latest turn in the long-running legal battle with the B.C. Teachers’ Federation allows stability for parents and students while negotiations continue on class size, special needs support and other issues. The decision provides a “stable environment” for the 60 school districts to prepare for next September under existing arrangements, he said. “We need to now get back to the table and see if we can find that sweet spot between both parties where we have a negotiated settlement,” Fassbender said. Those negotiations, to replace an imposed contract that expired last June, are scheduled to continue next week as BCTF members take a strike vote. The appeal court decision, released Wednesday, allows the government to pursue its appeal of a January ruling that it argued would cause major disruption to schools, which will likely take several months. In January, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Susan Griffin found for a second time that B.C. legislation imposing contract terms violated teachers’ right to collective bargaining. In his decision, Justice David Harris agreed with submissions from district superintendents around the province. “The evidence demonstrates that the immediate reinsertion of the deleted Continued: STAY/ p4
Grade 2-6 students from Evans elementary perform a flash mob at Cottonwood Mall on Anti-Bullying Day (aka Pink Shirt Day) on Wednesday. The group of 53 students danced to Ariana Grande’s song ‘Put Your Hearts up’. Go online to see a video of the flash mob. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Four-year terms ‘practical’ says Chilliwack mayor Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Reaction in Chilliwack to a decision to move to a four-year term of office for local government was somewhat favourable this week. The extended term of office idea was the result of a Union of B.C. Municipalities vote last September, said Chilliwack Mayor Sharon Gaetz, and it’s reassuring to see the province following through on the matter now. “I concur that four-year terms
are practical,” Gaetz said. The plan to extend city council and school board terms from three years to four could be passed in time for next fall’s local government elections. Gaetz said she experienced a steep learning curve taking office as a novice school trustee and later as a city councillor. “In some ways you’re just getting started after three years,” she said. “I also support it because it will save money on elections, which can be an expensive endeavour for a municipality.”
There was also widespread support by UBCM delegates for the idea. “Over whelmingly elected officials said they wanted to move to a four-year term,” said Gaetz, describing the debate on the UBCM convention floor. “It allows (newly elected) officials a chance to really plan for the future, starting with learning their jobs. They also said they wanted time to plan for and complete major projects in their communities.” If there was a down-side, it was the suggestion by some
delegates from rural B.C. communities that four years could make it harder to get people to run for office, or the job might be viewed as too big of a commitment. “But overwhelmingly the majority were in favour,” she said. Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes announced the provincial plan to introduce it shortly in the legislature. “The reason why provinces Continued: TERMS/ p14
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