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Government resolve solid: Fassbender
■ A- MAZING P ERSPECTIVE
Education minister works the phones as two sides remain far apart; related stories, page 3. Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Education minister Peter Fassbender confirmed the provincial government is feeling the heat at this point. The dispute that has pitted the B.C. Teachers’ Federation against the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association, has seen the parties drift further apart recently in their respective demands. “I would describe it this way: we want children in school,” the education minister told The Progress. “We want families to be able to function again with their kids in school, to be able to carry on with their lives. We’re feeling the pressure of that not happening, certainly. “But we need to remember that this is the BCTF’s strike, not ours.” Asked if the minister was worried that parents will gravitate to the private education sector out of frustration, he said he was not. “I have a lot of faith in the public education system,” replied Fassbender. “My grandkids go to public schools. Parents have a right to make a choice. They will have to weigh those factors.” With all parties stymied to this degree, what is it going to actually take to have the teachers’ strike end decisively? “It’s going to take the union coming forward with a realistic wage and benefits package that brings them into the same affordability zone as other public sector unions.” It would also take the willingness to negotiate, and entering into mediation possibly, and they cold put strike action on hold while they do that, he said. Last week a proposal put before the BCTF president and chief negotiator for BCPSEA, to suspend things in a twoweek timeout for school to begin, was rejected by the union. Continued: TRUCE/ p5
Pilot Cathy Press from Chinook Helicopters (right) gives passengers an aerial view of the Chilliwack Corn Maze on Wednesday morning. This year the maze partnered with UFV to help raise funds for student scholarships and bursaries. The design for this year’s maze features the UFV 40th anniversary logo. Saturday, Sept. 13 will be the fundraiser day where all funds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. will go towards UFV student funding, with a suggested donation of $9. Kids three and under get in free. Gizmo the clown, Sasq’ets the UFV mascot, and Tapsnap photo booth will be on-hand Sept. 13. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Crey backs roundtable on missing women Jennifer Feinberg The Progress A national roundtable discussion on Canada’s missing and murdered aboriginal women might just do the trick. That’s what Ernie Crey of Chilliwack has been broadcasting on social media all week. Since the federal government has dug its heels in against calls for a public inquiry, a roundtable approach might work in the interim, said Crey, a former social worker, and advisor to Sto:lo Tribal Council.
“They said that money would be better spent doing other things they regard as more practical than an inquiry,” he said. “While I don’t agree, being a practical person myself, I wondered what could be done today.” Crey said he has been waiting and watching for a national aboriginal organization to come forward with an alternative to a full-blown public inquiry. It came in the form of an idea from Michèle Audette of the Native Women’s Association of Canada for a roundtable, bring-
ing together federal, provincial and aboriginal counterparts. “I was happy to see something that could be done in the meantime,” Crey said. Crey’s sister, Dawn Crey, was one of the women whose DNA was found on a pig farm owned by serial killer Willie Pickton. Ever since, he has been an extremely vocal advocate for a national public inquiry to tackle the systematic aberration of missing and murdered aboriginal women. The provincial premiers have also backed the roundtable idea.
“Let’s get down to brass tacks, and look at what policies and services are going to best serve families coping with the loss of a family member. “Who could disagree with that?” Crey said. These efforts could point toward improvements in housing, children and family services or policing. It could touch on the relationships between the aboriginal community and the justice system. Continued: MISSING/ p7
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