Press Release

NDP’S ELMORE TELLS CLARK GOVERNMENT TO APOLOGIZE TO BC STUDENTS AND PARENTS

Vancouver-Kensington BCNDP
Vancouver-BC-Canada
February 5, 2017



“While Clark has been cutting taxes for the very wealthiest British Columbians in the past 15 years -- they’ve been cutting resources in BC schools to pay for it.  It’s outrageous,” Elmore said.  “Last spring they cut taxes yet again for the wealthiest 2%.  They are repeat offenders,” Elmore said.

“Now Christy Clark wants to take credit for beginning to hire back special needs teachers who were cut when the BC Liberals gutted the teachers’ contract in 2002.”

“What nerve,” Elmore said.  “Christy Clark should not be taking credit for hiring more teachers, she should be apologizing for getting rid of those special needs teachers in the first place.”  Clark was education minister when the teachers’ contract was torn up. After a dogged fight by BC teachers the Supreme Court ruled the contract provisions had to be restored.

Elmore said improving education will be an important theme of her re-election campaign and she predicted students and parents who were involved in the Save Our Schools campaign last year will be out in force across BC to turf the Clark government from office.

Elmore’s campaign kicked off with a lively rally Saturday afternoon at John Oliver High School in Vancouver.  The event featured music, a variety of First Nations, Philippine and Chinese entertainment, and a range of students, teachers and parents endorsing the Vancouver Kensington NDP MLA. 

Mable Elmore is the first person of Philippine descent to be elected to a legislature in Canada.  She has represented Vancouver Kensington since 2009.