Friday
April 24, 2015 (Vol. 40 No. 33)
V O I C E
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W H I T E
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Rocky road: More than 100 mountain bikers from across B.C. pedalled through the trails at South Surrey Bike Park Saturday, marking the revival of the Junkyard Dog XC race. i see page 27
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
Planned legislation would give Ministry of Education final say on school-board decisions
Trustee warns of ministry dictatorship Sheila Reynolds Black Press
Surrey school trustees are demanding the Ministry of Education rescind proposed provincial legislation they say will override their right to govern democratically. Bill 11, the Education Statutes Amendment Act, was introduced by the Ministry of Education last month. While the proposed law includes changes to teacher professional development that proved controversial when introduced, there are other portions that
directly affect B.C. boards of education. For example, the bill would change the School Act to broaden the Minister of Education’s authority over school district matters, allowing him to administer directives if he believes a board has not done its job or if he deems it in the public’s interest to step in. “The board believes it erodes what we do,” Surrey trustee Terry Allen told Black Press this week, noting the bill would allow the province to override elected trustees’ right to make autonomous decisions.
The proposed legislation includes provisions relating to shared services in the education sector, allowing the minister to designate specific service providers to boards, regardless of whether they deem them cost-effective. If passed, it would amend the School Act so that a board’s management of schools would be “subject to the orders” of the minister. “It’s absolutely diabolical … it’s really problematic,” Allen said. “At the end of the day, if we don’t agree… someone will come in and override our decisions and tell us what to do.”
Education Minister Peter Fassbender wasn’t available for comment Wednesday morning. Surrey trustees were expected to vote on a motion after Peace Arch News’ press deadline Thursday, demanding the province immediately quash the unexpected legislation. The surprise, Allen said, was made worse by the fact it came months after trustees signed a co-governance agreement with the province. “There’s no co-governance between the Surrey Board of Education and the Ministry of Education,” he said. “It’s simply a dictatorship.”
Kevin Diakiw photo
Supt. Bill Fordy addresses more than 700 people who turned out to Tamanawis Secondary Tuesday to learn more about efforts to get a handle on gun incidents that have plagued Surrey.
Police chief says he asks himself ‘are we doing enough?’
700 attend meeting to combat crime
No gang ties, family says Kevin Diakiw
Kevin Diakiw Black Press
More than 700 people packed into a Surrey high school for a forum on crime Tuesday night, an event scheduled as Surrey and North Delta grapple with 22 shootings in six weeks. The most recent shooting on Sunday morning killed Arun Bains, the 22-year-old nephew of Surrey-Newton NDP MLA Harry Bains. Prior to the start of the meeting, many people told Black Press they were looking for answers. Naida Robinson was at the forum, held in the gymnasium of Tamanawis Secondary at 66 Avenue and 126 Street, and she said she wants to see dedicated RCMP officers assigned to Newton. That way, crime files will remain consistent with the same officers. Darlene Bowyer said she wants assurances
there will be a meeting of all levels of government, something she’s requested for some time. Neither of those issues were brought up publicly at the meeting. Surrey RCMP Chief Supt. Bill Fordy, a panelist, said the recent spate of gun violence is keeping him up at night. “Are we doing enough?” he said he’ll ask himself at night, adding the shootings are a priority for the Surrey RCMP. “Then I think about it a bit more and say ‘that’s not enough’.” He said the Mounties need to better engage the community and when that happens, real progress will occur. Fordy also said the community should be concerned – “but they should not be fearful.” “The root causes of these shootings are drug
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use and drug trafficking,” Fordy told the crowd. Mayor Linda Hepner said the city is doing what it can. Thirty-four new RCMP officers have arrived in Surrey and 100 more are on order for this year. Speakers from the audience had varying opinions about how to make things better. One woman said many people who come to Canada haven’t had a positive experience with police in their home country. “That is a huge fear for them to report crime,” the woman said, adding police outreach could be used to educate people new to the country to assuage their fears. A teenager said he knew most of the victims involved in recent shootings whose photos were published in local newspapers. i see page 4
Black Press
The man shot down on Surrey streets was not a criminal or linked to gangs, his family said. “This is an extraordinarily painful time. Arun was the heart of our family,” a news Arun Bain release issued by relatives says. “We are still trying to accept the reality that our son, brother, cousin and nephew is gone.” i see page 4 Kintec White Rock 15185 Russell Ave 604.535.4402
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