BRITISH COLUMBIA Alarmed over the continuing deterioration of education caused by the Socred government’s cut- the Lower Mainland have sent the Message directly into people’s homes, Listeners tuning into one of the area’s radio stations might hear _ this message: “Hi, my name is Bill Davison. I am an English teacher at Gladstone Secondary School in Vancouver. “Tt is my responsibility to at- tempt to meet the language needs of students from various cultural backgrounds, with differing levels of competence and with dif- ferent life goals. I like my job but I know that the present program _ Of cutbacks in education spen- ding is undermining people’s con- fidence in the work I do. My backs, teachers associations in. morale and that of my students depends upon a restoration of faith in our school system.”’ “Speak up for public educa- tion,’’ says an announcer, follow- ing the teacher’s testimony, “A message from the Lower Mainland Teachers Associa- tions.” The radio spots are part of a campaign launched Monday by the presidents of teachers associa- tions in the Lower Mainland’s 10 school districts. There are 15 dif- ferent ads in which various teachers, counsellors, librarians and principals cite declining morale as one of the most im- mediate effects of education minister Bill Vander Zalm’s war on public schools. “Tt’s an offensive to get people to speak up for public education,’’ explained Calvert Moore, president of the Delta Teachers Association and spokesman for the Metro presidents. The radio ads are just the most apparent part of a campaign that aims to involve the public through advertising, door-to-door literature handouts, canvassing in shopping malls and parent- teacher meetings, said Moore. “We're telling people to tell their local boards to not be the agents of the government in dismantling public education. We want them to say that to their MLAs and the minister of educa- tion as well — to just keep pushing the issue,”’ he said. Theteacher’s action is the latest public response to the $60-million axe supplied to education by Vic- toria for the 1982-83 school year ‘— cuts that will result in an actual Teachers urge: ‘Speak up for education’ _decrease of 3.5 percent in financ- ing for the first three months of 1983, Moore charged. The Metro presidents’ cam- paign gives the most human side to the Socred cuts. It doesn’t go into the heavier aspects of educa- tion policy as given by Vander Zalm in what B.C. Teachers Federation president Larry Kuehn calls ‘‘announcement by leak.” B.C. School Trustees Associa- tion president Gary Begin was to meet with Vander Zalm Wednes- day to seek clarification over plans and options contained in “leaked”? cabinet documents which would wipe out collecive bargaining for teachers and ‘stip school boards of whatever autonomy they possess under current legislation. Begin has said the first docu- ment, which contradicts earlier statements by Vander Zalm by allowing the layoff of teachers, school closures and cancellation of contract clauses ‘‘a mockery of meaningful, good faith bargain- The second document contain- ed provisions for putting the finishing touches to the Socreds’ continued stripping of local autonomy. It called for the budget reductions for boards which overspend the provincial average or, alternatively, giving the education ministry authority to ‘‘manage the financial affairs 4 each school district very direct- pe Both the teachers’ and trustees’ organizations have called for a complete disclosure of education ministry plans, which some of- ficials believe were deliberately leaked to create ‘‘more havoc and confusion’’ in the school system. -Labor-backed candidates target cutbacks Opposition to the Social Credit 80Vvernment’s restraint policies has fcome the byword for pro- _ Stessive and labor-endorsed can- dates as they move into the final Week of the municipal election campaigns around the province. Voting day is Saturday, Nov. 20. In both council and school d races, the direct budget cuts 4nd reductions in revenue sharing Imposed by Victoria have put “onomic issues to the top of the Campaign agenda, f In council elections, demands Or increases in provincial revenue- Sharing and for tax reform to tedistribute the tax burden to en- perry GRIFFIN . . . second bid ; North Vancouver council et, Sure th share at industry carries a larger ce common campaign plat- bere year, more than any year ire ®, the issue of jobs is a critical : a eek labor candidates are e hustings with a policy x a layoffs of municipal workers 0 contracting-out of vital 0 Cipal services, fight. every council there will be a Vices to maintain municipal ser- back In the face of Socred cut- 8, giving added urgency to the di depen to elect progressive can- tes to office. the school board elecions, the th issue is unquestionably Provincial government’s loss of t program and the resultant districts autonomy. In some dividin’ the issue provides a sharp althouts line among candidates Socrede? use Steals to ar = Ogram is so widesprea That Nsome districts — Port Alber- ni, for example — virtually all can- didates have spoken out against it to one degree or another. In several areas around the pro- vince, the labor movement is look- ing expectantly to the outcome and the possibility of gains. In Port Alberni, both incumbent alderman Walter Behn and George McKnight are hoping to take coun- cil seats. Although a win for both would still leave labor with a minority voice on council, their election would enable them, together with sitting alderman Len Nelson, to press for new programs in the recession-bound city. McKnight in particular is cam- paigning hard on a platform for jobs and a strong ‘“‘yes’’ vote in the disarmament referendum. Up island in Campbell River, ‘unemployment also provides a backdrop for the labor-backed campaign by Nick Chernoff, the secretary of the Campbell River, Courtenay and District Labor Council, and Bill Woods, an unemployed member of the Cana- dian Union of Public Employees. The labor council has also en- dorsed the candidacy of Phil Frost and Erik Erikson, both running for council in Courtenay. ae Progressive slates are contesting elections in several centres in the province. : In Coquitlam, Telecommunica- tions Union representative Bob Donnelly and former school board chairman Eunice Parker are wag- ing a strong campaign in their se- cond bid for Coquitlam council on BOB DONNELLY (!) EUNICE PARKER. cil in Coquitlam. behalf of the Association of Co- quitlam Electors (ACE). In North Vancouver district, the North Vancouver Voters Associa- tion (NoVVA) is again incumbents Crawford Kilian and Dorothy Lynas for the two seats open in school board. The organization is not fielding aldermanic candidates but three NoVVA members, in- cluding Betty Griffin who missed election by only 93 votes last year, are running as independents. In Nanaimo, all the candidates endorsed by the local labor council are members of the newly-founded Organizated Progressive Electors — of Nanaimo (OPEN). In Surrey, the Surrey Alternative Movement is fielding Steve Gidora for alderman and Kim Zander for school board. But as a result of a sectarian policy this year by the New Westminster and District Labor Council of confining en- dorsements almost exclusively to New Democratic Party members, the two were not endorsed by the labor council this year, the first time in six years that endorsement has been denied SAM. ; The labor council backed only candidates running for Citizens for a Better Surrey (CBS). However, neither SAM nor CBS is running a full slate so supporting voters can mark their ballot for both. The following is a list of labor- backed candidates, compiled after the close of nominations and following interviews with local labor councils. Bold face denotes an incumbent. . . ACE candidates for coun- GEORGE McKNIGHT... . press- ing jobs issue in Port Alberni. LOWER MAINLAND ~ COQUITLAM Council: Bob Donnelly, Eunice Parker. School board: Louella Hollington. MISSION Council: Dennis Huber. School board: Tom Lalonde. NEW WESTMINSTER Mayor: Tom Baker. Council: Ray Mercer. School board: Val MacDonald, Bob Osterman, Vasant Saklikar. NORTH VANCOUVER Council: Betty Griffin, Margaret McGuire; Verna Smelovsky (one year term). Schogl Board: Crawford Kilian, Dorothy Lynas. PORT COQUITLAM Council: John Keryluk, George Laking. SURREY Council: Steve Gidora, Charan Gill, Joan Smallwood. School board: Lois Peterson, Paul Winn, Kim Zander. VANCOUVER ISLAND CAMPBELL RIVER Council: Nick Chernoff, Bill Woods. COURTENAY Council: Erik Erikson, Phil Frost. LAKE COWICHAN School board: William Routley. . - election to Castlegar, council. _ PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOVEMBER 12, 1982—Page 3 NANAIMO Council, Ward 3: Ian Fawcett, Dyvid Freethy. Council, Ward 6: Larry Whaley. School board: Wilf Broderick, Joe Lychak, Ralph Mayerhoff. PORT ALBERNI Council: Walter Behn, George McKnight. Pt. Alberni School board: Darlene Watts. Rural school board: Mike Kokura. INTERIOR CASTLEGAR Council: Len Embree. School board: Peter Cagis CRANBROOK School board: Mike Burnham. HOUSTON Council: Alf Sjoden. KAMLOOPS School board: Tom Balson . NELSON Council: Dennis Bannert, Art Grosky SALMON ARM: Council: Reg Walters. VERNON Council: Bert Nilsson. LEN EMBREE .. . seeking re-