MLAs in Victoria have the Veitch and Loewen appeared message. quite responsive. 1 don't want No MLA, government or to see any teacher laid off,' opposition, can claim ignor• said Veitch. Loewen praised ance about the government's the Burnaby schools. cutback in education spending. Former education minister Representatives of local Eileen Dailly said that when associations met with their you are faced with a bad period respective MLAs April 2 and 3 in the economy, government in Victoria following the AGM should cut down slowly. If we decision tp take strong action were the government we would to preserve the quality of edu• maintain essential services.' cation in the province. Some Generally the delegation MLAs have agreed to meet expressed satisfaction, saying teachers in their constituency, the MLAs asked pertinent meetmgs that are now going questions and report that the forward in some parts of the visits were altogether worth- province, while. From Vancouver, six Harvey Schroeder attended teacher representatives met a meeting in Chilliwack, and, with MLAs Barnes, Brown, according to reports, while he Lauk, McCarthy, McGeer and began defensively he became Rogers, usuaUy two teacher receptive as the meeting went representatives to one_^MLA. on. He is concerned that educa• McGeer claimed the BCTF had tion get a better share of the made some 'preposterous' budget. statements and claimed that Coquitlam representatives the budgets provide for 500 met with George Kerster who more teachmg positions in Sep- listened carefufiy to their pre- tember than there are now. sentation, making notes. He McGeer felt that education has agreed to meet the delega- had come out well in the prov- tion again, incial budget with more money Kerster says that he does not for 1976 while most other want education to suffer; nor The longest AGM ever, the BCTF's 1976 Annual General Meeting was often referred to by many of 651 departments were slashed does he want local taxes to rise delegates as 'an endurance test.' Starting Sunday evening, March 28, the meet continued for the next drastically. He ignores the 140 drastically, tt-iree days and nights. Highlights included a visit from Education Minister Dr. Pat McGeer, the percent average rate increase In Nanaimo, local president elections, the Fergusson Award presentation and a special farewell to retiring BCTF staff member for car insurance to meet the^T Stan Evans. increased cost of that service; executive met with Dave a 50 percent rate increase in Stupich in Nanaimo to review the medical services asspcia- the local budget. They tion to meet the cost of that provided Stupich vdth data for service; and 160 percent rate his regular column in the local increase in B.C. ferry fares to newspaper. Stupich has indi- The government has raised 'These budgets have since 'It seems to us an important meet the cost of that service, cated support at the local level local taxes and school boards been reviewed by the depart• point to be made is thai iCe Grace McCarthy was polite, in maintaining the local don't have any choice but to ment of education budget minister has agreed the but noncommital. McCarthy budget, hold their budgets and pass on review teams and, except for decision tp increase local taxes put out the line 'the cupboard is Tom Krall says the feeling in the increase to the local rate• some minor amendments, is a provincial political bare.'Steven Rogers seems to 'Tanaimo is that tiiere will be payer,' says BCTF president have been found proper,' he decision, one that he takes full have given the delegation the no cutbacks on existing staff, Bill Broadley. says. responsibility for making. best reception, appearing The board, he says, might not The federation president 'If the department review 'The government is not more interested in education, hire as many teachers as the was commenting on a press teams had found "fat" in the covering the cost of inflation in From Burnaby, Duane board originally desired, but release April by education budgets I'm sure the minister the school service. Berkey reports the two MLAs (Continued o& Page 8} minister Pat McGeer announc• would have capitalized on it.' ing that the basic school tax According to the February levy has been set at 32.5 mills, budgets, the provincial share an increase of six mills over of the basic education program 1975. should have been $370 million, Broadley explains, rather than The BCTF president says the $309 million allocation that predictions of teachers regard• leaves a shortfall of over ing the education budget have million. been confirmed. Broadley said the term The government is passing 'basic education program' is on roughly a $65 million tax misleading because the non- increase to local school boards, shareable portion of school Broadley says. board budgets over and above He had earlier warned the the BEFIS. essen^^^ to school government would be raising programs, the local districts' share of the The announcement that tiie basic education program 6.5 mill rate for 1976 wUl be 32.5 mills.'We were just about dead mills, or an increase of six on.' mills over last year, means When the BCTF informed that each school board must teachers around the province raise 32.5 mills from taxes some weeks ago that the local before the provincial govern- share of the basic education ment will pick up - program would probably be ing costs, raised by over six mills the With boards already statement was met with shock mitted to present and disbelief, Broadley says, the increase wili be _ School boards, he explains, to ratepayers who face an had prepared their budgets average school tax rate in- February 15 for submission to crease of about seven mills this Victoria. year. • 7"0. 1^, -.1 1 /r< -3 The Commissioner of Teachers' Pensions has sent to all school board secretary-treasurers statements for teacher employees shov/ing .tiieir contributions and The Canadian Teachers' organizations to formulate a Heron pointed out the vast service under the Teachers' Pension Plan up to Federation took the initiative plan of action, now well under• majority of teachers continue December 31,1974. No statements were prepared for in the 'significant federal way and being closely to be a major influence in the teachers v;ho first commenced to contribute to the thrust into the activities of monitored. development of the child and Fund in 1975 or 1976. teachers,' says Mike Heron, 'Unfortunately, as time that teacher organizations con• CTF president, at the AGM. progresses more and more tinue to spend more money School board secretary-treasurers have been 'Bill C-73, the Anti-Inflation inequities of Bill C-73 are toward improving the quality requested to distribute these statements. If you do not Bill, accentuated what was coming to light. Prices are of education. receive a statement by the end of April, first enquire already known at the federal continuing to rise and govern• of your secretary-treasurer to ensure that he has dis• The BCTF is an excellent tributed the statements, then write to the Commis• level: there is no mechanism ment programs appear to be example, he said, of an for understanding or knowing the biggest offenders when it sioner of Teachers' Pensions, Parliament Buildings, organization which spends long Victoria V8V 4R5 for a copy. the problems peculiar to comes to raising prices in all hours and a large percentage education. sectors of our economy. of its budget on professional If there is any error in your statement, please advise 'There is no federal office of 'Teachers are becoming development. education — which makes more and more disgruntled as the Commissioner of Teachers' Pensions In writing. He agreed political action It's called an AGM. While resolutions were © Point of privilege: candi• the annual president's report teachers the only organized they see employers and ference was an overwhelming group in all of Canada who programs are needed. 'If It was, in fact, an endurance passed, defeated, deferred and dates for office who found their by Bill Broadley. 'good.' But most found the pro• governments curtailing wages have absolutely no one at the by hiding behind the federal society is not prepared to test. referred an underlying current names on a slate that they did Task force reports were pre• gram 'too heavy' and many federal government level who anti-inflation guidelines and actively improve the learning For three solid days and four of excitement ran through the not sign. sented as were committee re• pleaded for either another day situation then teachers must. nights, some 651 BCTF dele• large assembly room at the ports. The agenda covered can speak authoritatively on yet doing very little to bring in © Point of privilege: dele• or a less demanding agenda. their behalf,' he said. effective price controls.' And by changing the scope of gates from throughout B.C., Hyatt Regency — the elections. gates wanting program some 100 pages of reports and While exhausted delegates bargaining within this sustained by 250,(K)0 cups of Who would control the Execu• resolutions as well as special Heron said subsequent Heron said that teachers evaluation sheets handled by dutifully completed evaluation events indicated interference must do 'whatever we can to province your organization will coffee, debated 115 recom• tive Committee for the year ballot, according to recom• events such as a farewell pre• forms before leaving they were have a much greater chance to mendations and 63 resolutions, 1976-77? sentation to federation in established collective maintain the economic health mended procedure. aware the AGM had been only bargaining processes along of our country,* but, he said: implement change.' setting policy the federation The current became evident favorite, Stan Evans.