Who's Ready For Vince?

MediationForTheNation
FacilitatorVille

So, Mike 'The Buster' de Jong says the appointment of Vince Ready as a 'facilitator' in the Teacher's dispute is old hat.

Ya, right.

And the LINOs* just love yesterday's Ipsos-Reid Poll that gives the Teachers solid majority support in every single category that the pollmeisters could think of, including the topic that enquiring minds want to know most - who's got the better photo-op make-up, the BCTF's Jinny Sims or His Gordness?'.

But the more important question here is - who's ready for Ready?

Clearly the teachers, who were given even more breathing room by Madame Justice Brown today, are:

Ms. Sims, president of the B.C. Teachers Federation, said she was pleased to receive a call from Ready inviting the federation and the government bargaining agent to talks.

"Over the last few days we've been looking for ways to get to a table and right now we are pleased to confirm that both parties are working with a facilitator to have discussions," said Sims.



And the response from The Buster? Well, at least he didn't call the teachers terrorists this time around:

Labour Minister Mike de Jong says that while Ready has spoken with both sides, the government is sticking to its position that it won't resume direct negotiations until the teachers end their illegal strike. "Look, he's not going to be able to rebuild a broken bargaining process unless he's got involvement from the parties. That's challenged by the fact that one of those parties, the union at the moment, continues to break the law," he says.


So, whaddya-all think; is this an olive branch from His Gordness?

Hard to tell.

But the key thing to remember about that Ipsos-Reid poll is that it was not a one off. Specifically, the same poll was also taken a week ago and the Teachers have actually picked-up public support in the interim, this despite the LINO's non-stop, business-assisted prop-a-gannon-inspired onslaught.

So Mr. Campbell is in trouble.

And he knows it.

And not just because he's trapped in an ideological box of his own making.

Because his soggy, cardboard domicile is also perched on a highwire.

And if elGordo and his ideology slip, the Redmeat Faction of his caucus just might pull the safety net out from under him for good this time.

_____
*LINO = Liberals In Name Only
Ms. Sims says that Ready called her. So, did he do this on his own? Did the judge suggest it? Did Gordco? Did his brother? Who knows at this point, nobody's saying, but it's not a trivial point.
Just in case you think the make-up thing is both cheap and uncalled for, don't forget His Gordness' Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed version) during the first Leader's debate back in May.
Update: Thanks to DPU for playing the teacher /editor and catching a big boo-boo in original title.
Double Secret Non-Duplicitous Probation Update: Schreck today is very, very good on Gordco's 'River' card.
Triple Secret With-A-Cherry-On-Top Chocolate Fudge Sundae Update: Frequent reader, and very 'education knowledgable' contributor, Name, has left a message on the thread strongly suggesting that there is yet one more ball in the GordCo Prop-A-Cannon - BCCPAC, the self-described "voice of BC parents" which has recently become anything but.

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