Pct2017

I think you really have to look at both sides of the equation before you advocate banning public sector unions. The unions are always going to press hard for better wages and bennies for their members. That is why they exist. But instead of howling at them, why are you not turning at least part of your angst at your duly elected governments? It is the politicians and their minions who have agreed to pay the wages that the unions have demanded/negotiated. Why not advocate for better fiscal responsibility on the part of the government on election day. There is no rule that states that the employer must give anything to the union during negotiations, but they must have the stones to say so and back it up with action. Unfortunately, governments of all stripes have become used to taking the easy path and simply saying yes to union demands, in part because they truly do not believe that there will be any political fall out for doing so. Only the electorate can change this mindset. If you want to see an example of how it can be done, take a look at the BCTF/BC government negotiations last year. The BC government simply said no to the demands of the BCTF and then they held their ground. The BCTF had no idea what to do and eventually agreed to what I believe, as a taxpayer, was a reasonable settlement.

Predictions? 1) The federal elections will happen in October and one party will likely win more seats than the others. 2) The BCTF and it's whiny members will find something to bitch and moan about. 3) The Canucks will not win the Cup. You are welcome.

Now, you say you understand polls. But then you staunchly defend them. Speak out of one side of your mouth. Polls have been proven to be utterly worthless in pretty much every Canadian election for over four years. Yes, they got Aberta right this time around, but you know what they say about blind squirrels and nuts. So, why is Mulclair so popular in BC? I have no idea if he is or not. I will tell you if he is or not after the one poll that is actually accurate in October.

Huh, I did not realize the election had been held already. Must be a time zone thing. But if you are referring to polls, well out West, we do not put much value in polls or pollsters. Their track records are a tad sketchy.

And every day, British Columbians thank the heavens above for that fact. We are very fortunate out here to have a generally intelligent electorate. One day that may be true in Ontario, but today is not that day.

All that Ontario has to do is look west to BC if it wants to figure out how to stand up to the teacher's outdated unions. Just say no. Simple as that. The teachers unions are not used to that tactic and it unsettles them. Want to go on strike there teachers? Sure go ahead. The offer that was put before you will be waiting for you after you have gone without a paycheque for (in the case of the BCTF) 7 plus weeks. Ontario - just say no to the teachers. It is a very simple, but extremely effective solution.

Don't suppose you would care to back that up with any facts or citations? 5.8 million Canadians voted Conservative in 2011. Is it your assertion that most of those people were high school drop outs?

I was listening to the Vancouver talking heads radio show shortly after this decision came down on Friday and they had an interview with Jim Iker. Now, granted this was not a stellar day for the head of the most reviled union in the province, but it was pretty funny listening to him. He actually stated that now that the Court of Appeal had made it's decision, he hoped that the government would come to the table and negotiate class size and composition into the BCTF's contract. So, let's summarize there Jim. The government has been scrapping with your union since 2002 regarding whether the union or the duly elected government should control the work place. Now, 13 years later, the courts agree that the union has no business meddling in these affairs. So, his response? Well, it was very much like a boxer who is laying flat out on the canvas as the referee counts to eight. The doomed boxer looks way up at his opponent and say "Now do you concede?" Pretty funny reaction there Jim.

Well, that is a pretty simple solution to all the economic problems of the world. Pay everyone a huge pile of money and everything will be puppies and unicorns forever. Kind of the ultimate Ponzi Scheme.

And, any final words on this subject there Sharky? Let's see now, four out of five judges on the BC Court of Appeals not only side with the governments position, but they take the time to skewer one of their own, Justice Susan Griffin who screwed up the original court case. And they required the BCTF to give back the $2 million. The BCTF no longer has power over our elected government to decide how many teachers will be employed (think autoworkers union telling Ford how many union members they would have to hire to make each car) Guess it was not that dumb after all, huh?

See, now look at you and I talking in a civilized manner. Who would have thought. OK, if you have to ask what was wrong with your posts for the last year and a half, then I cannot answer. All I can say is read your two posts last night and then randomly pick any two posts prior and look at the difference. Now, as to your statement that you cannot speak your mind due to your professional code of conduct, that is interesting. I have not read the Ontario College of Teachers (hell, I do not even know if such an overseeing body exists as it does not here in BC) Code of Conduct, but it is pretty standard for most professional associations to cover the conduct of one member complaining about a fellow member in a public manor. Generally there are no repercussions regarding a member speaking out against practices. So, if that is indeed true then you appear to be saying that some members of the teaching profession (and I am loath to assign that designation to teachers) are the core of what is wrong in education in Canada. I do believe that if that is what you are eluding to, and that seems to be born out in your post last evening, then you are actually supporting what pretty much everyone on this forum has been stating.

Well, what a conundrum I find myself in. Just this very morning I had a discussion with The Facilator about how it was just no fun around these parts of the inter web anymore. Young Socialist was getting boring and batting him about presented no challenge, so maybe it was time to move onto other pastures. Then Young Socialist writes two posts this evening that are even, well articulated, thought provoking and non-confrontational. No cartoons, no references to loopy left wing websites, just his own thoughts. Now, do not get me wrong, I do not necessarily agree with much of what he wrote, but for the first time ever, I have to take him seriously. Where has this been for the past year and a half? I must admit I ran bits of both posts through anti-plagiarism sites, and lo and behold, these seem to be original thoughts expressed by our young friend. Now, you may ask yourselves, is old PCT just jerking us around or using sarcasm to belittle Socialist. Well, no. I am here to say that I am impressed with the very marked, dramatic and vastly more effectual style of posting that Socialist has provided us with this evening. Bravo young man, bravo. Now, try your darnedest to keep it up and you never know, maybe we can engage in meaningful discourse.

I was originally not going to respond to this post for obvious reasons, but I feel that I should give Hernaday a chance to rescind with one plausible outlet for his words. Namely, were you drunk or stoned when you wrote this? Please say yes as that is the best case scenario. Otherwise, you are a very troubled, bigoted individual whose writings really should be marginalized after this post.

Much has been made on this tread about how teachers have two university degrees and how that in itself should justify huge salaries. Let us just take a step back and look at that. If you enter the fields of nursing or forestry or engineering or any other applied science, you commit to five years of courses that relate to your chosen profession. If you go into a co-op program then most of your summers are committed to actual work experience in your field. The depth of knowledge required to make you ready to practise takes a full five years. Now, let us compare that to the teachers and their two "degrees". Four years are spent getting whatever degree you want. Feel a yearning to learn about Latin? Go for it. Religious studies interests you? Fine by the Faculty of Education. General Studies more to your skill set? C'mon in. Please do not get me wrong, all education is important to the minds development, but in most cases the initial degree leading to a B. Ed. has nothing to do with learning how to practise in the field of education. It is only in the second "degree" that the prospective teachers are actually immersed in the skills required to teach. And even at that, it only take 12 months (BC) to provide the students with all the skills they need. So, yes, teachers do have two "degrees", but for most, the first has nothing to do with the field of teaching and the second only takes a year to achieve. It is actually quite damning to the argument that teaching is difficult if everything that a future teacher needs to know can be taught in a year.

In the private sector, job evaluations are often done on a basis of 360 degrees. In other words, not only are you evaluated by your boss(es), but those reporting to also have a chance to evaluate you. I have never understood why this could not form a part of teacher evaluations, particularly at the upper grades. Let students, parents and fellow teachers have meaningful input on a teachers performance evaluation and you will generally get a very accurate summary. Yes, there will be axes to grind, but when averages are applied, the outliers will be apparent. Leave the technical parts of the job to be evaluated by administration for sure, but parents and students generally have a very good grasp on whether a teacher is good at teaching or not.