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March 11, 2014 Vol. 29• No. 20 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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Thursday Jazz Night at the Avalanche this week will have a decidedly Latin twist, courtesy of Luzna. page 7
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Armed with strike mandate, BCTF looks ahead Renee Andor Record Staff
Comox Valley teachers showed strong support for their union during last week’s strike vote, according to Comox District Teachers’ Association president Steve Stanley. More than 29,000 of the BC Teachers’ Federation’s 41,000 members voted in the three-day provincewide vote, with more than 26,000 casting ballots in favour of job action. According to Stanley, more than 500 Comox Valley teachers cast ballots last week and the percentage who voted in support of a strike was slightly higher than the provincial average. “We are proud of the teachers in the Comox Valley for the strong turnout to vote and the very high percentage of members who
SCHOOL DISTRICT PREPARING The Comox Valley School District is preparing for possible teacher job action after B.C. teachers last week voted in favour of a strike. “While the district continues to be hopeful that the BCTF (BC Teachers’ Federation) and BCPSEA (BC Public School Employers’ Association) will continue to bargain a mutually satisfactory settlement, we are preparing and planning for job action on the part of teachers,” says Comox Valley School District superintendent Sherry Elwood. “Those plans will focus on maintaining student safety and supporting as little disruption to the lives of students as possible. We will endeavour to provide parents with as much information as is available to us, understanding that there may be times where the job action may make this difficult to do.” If job action escalates, by way of rotating school closures for example, the district will use radio and website communication to inform parents, adds Elwood.
voted in favour of a strike,” says Stanley. “We believe this reflects a strong sense of unity among teachers and is a very clear message to the government that we want to see movement towards a negotiated settlement at the bargaining table.” The BCTF now has 90
days to start some form of job action, but, if it chooses to move forward with any job action, it will give 72-hour strike notice first. Any initial job action would be administrative, according to Stanley, and would not affect students. It would not affect volun... see STRIKE ■ 2
Ferries rally in Victoria Erin Haluschak Record Staff
Calling it a “provincewide issue,” the chair of the Strathcona Regional District is calling on not only Island residents, but those across the province to help send a message to the B.C. government about defending the marine highway. Jim Abram, chair of the SRD and a Quadra Island resident, is helping to co-ordinate a rally today (March 11) on the lawn of the legislative building in Victoria to deliver a mes-
sage to the premier and transportation minister to stop cuts to BC Ferries, lower the fares and put the ferries back into the highway system. “People don’t realize this affects the provincial economy,” Abram explained Thursday in Courtenay. He said not only people, but various sectors including health care, education and aquaculture depend on the ferry system. “The provincial government needs to return the marine highway as part of its transportation sys-
tem. They refuse to fund it as infrastructure; it’s not some little organization that needs a subsidy, this is public transportation.” Tuesday, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Abram hopes thousands of people will voice their opinions about the ferry service. Four buses from Quadra alone will bring people down to the capital, he added. “There will be hundreds of cars carpooling from other Islands, including Hornby and Denman islands.” ... see SUPPORT ■ 2
CELEBRATING OUR DIVERSITY There was no missing the multi-cultural aspects of Saturday’s Global Fusion Fest at the Filberg Centre. The fest was a free, family-friendly event celebrating diversity in the community. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
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