BC Liberals, $40 “Shaft the Teachers Refund”

R.McKenzie – Trail BC

Here is the link to the BC “Temporary Education Support for Parents” online application. I suggest you check it out.

For anyone who has been living in a hole for the past few months; this is the $40 bribe…oops…support / tax refund for parents who’s kids will be needing a babysitter or daycare provider to watch them, until the BCSEA and the BCTF stop playing politics and actually bargain.  Makes you wonder if they really want to settle, right?

I’m originally from Alberta, so I’m used to this sort of thing See: “Ralphbucks“. I am hoping, that in my new home province, people are a little more aware when the Gov. is trying to pull a fast one on them?

While, I see this for what it is: A bribe to young families and weak attempt to stop parents from taking extra time off work to take care of their young kids, and messing up the provincial economy. Like most people, I think the money would be better spent actually running a public school system, but what do I know?.

I do however, wholeheartedly believe that all BC Taxpayers should be demanding a refund right now!  Everyone of us pays a substantial amount of money in school taxes, with the belief that our elected officials, ministers and gov’t employees will use the money appropriately.  And they are not right now!

Wouldn’t you be mad if you gave someone hundreds / thousands of dollars and in return they were supposed to rent you a house, but instead they said, “Sorry we are going to take all of your rent money, but you can’t move in until we are done trying to force the people who maintain the house, to maintain a bunch of other houses at the same time.  Oh, and we are going to take away all the plumbers and electricians that we pay to help them do it well to.  But don’t worry, it’s Ok!  There is this other place that I send, my kids to, down the road!  If you keep paying me rent and then pay them rent to, you can go there while the house you originally paid for slowly rots.  I’ll help you get your kid in to the private one if you want?  Oh, and here’s $40 if you keep your mouth shut for a while!”

Equal access to high level, free, education for all, (not just those with money or power), is one of the things that modern society is founded on.  It leads to more equal opportunity to contribute to society and more people with the skills to make our country more prosperous.  Public schools also, teach our students how our country actually works, for better or for worse.  The rich can have special access to their Yachts and houses in Whistler, but they shouldn’t have exclusive access to good schools! Dragging out disputes like this steals that right from all of us, not just those with small kids!

Anyway, whether you believe I’m off base, or biased, or whatever, I strongly urge everyone to apply for the Bribe… um… support / refund. Kids or no Kids.  I strongly suspect it’s going to be a really long time before anyone sees this money, even if you do “qualify”.  But I don’t think the Gov’t should reap the benefits of apathy on this one!

And please be nice to your Kid’s teachers, this one is out of their hands now.  It’s all Vancouver/Victoria now, so don’t hold your breath!

Link to Application form: BTP TAP. (the application for $40 per kid, per day)

CBC articles: 

B.C. teacher’s strike: $40-a-day parent pay registration opens

No classes on what is supposed to be 1st day of school