Monday, October 17, 2016

This Day In Clarkland...Mr. Bernier's Star Chamber Machinery.

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And what, exactly, is Mr. Bernier's rationale for firing all the VSB trustees?

Well, according to the MoCo it is, at least in part, the following:

...(Minister Bernier) said the results of an audit — which Bernier ordered after the school board failed to submit a balanced budget by the June 30 deadline — raised additional concerns about the Vancouver School Board...

So.

Why haven't we, the people, (or, presumably, the Trustees themselves) seen that audit?

Well...

This:

...Bernier said the province cannot release the results of the audit until a privacy commissioner investigation is done...


Unbelievable.


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Update Monday Afternoon: Was the board actually fired because they were going to pass a balanced budget tonight?...Folks in the comments make a good case that this might have been the case...Derrick O'Keefe has more in that vein, here.


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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

How many MLA seats are up for grabs in Vancouver School Board catchment area?

Anonymous said...

Looks like the proposed budget was leaked and it was going to be embarrassing to the BC Liberals... we'll see.

Earlier today, now-former VSB chair Mike Lombardi told CBC's The Early Edition the school board was finally willing to approve the budget in order to qualify the school district for seismic upgrade funding at their meeting tonight after months of delay.

He even emphasized that he had a "very good relationship" with the minister of education, adding they text and phone regularly.

Despite this, Bernier said there was no option but to fire the board.

Lew said...

Allegations of a toxic work environment currently the subject of an unfinished investigation and results of an audit that can’t be released seem to be the only new information Bernier is relying on since he didn’t fire the board last April when they refused to pass a balanced budget.

Except of course, for the public information that the board planned to pass a balanced budget tonight.

It’s clear he planned to fire the board all along, and had to do it today because firing it for not passing a balanced budget AFTER they presented one would be a tad problematic.

The very definition of political gamesmanship. What a surprise from the squeaky clean BC Liberals.

Anonymous said...

The public can always fire them in May

Anonymous said...

VSB is cutting into our propaganda budget?

North Van's Grumps said...

Waiting in the wings is the Supreme Court of Canada decision on the fight between the BCTF and the BC Government of gutting their collective agreements. The firing today of VSB might just be the thin edge of the wedge of replacing every school board in the province with their appointee(s)

RossK said...

Good point NVG.

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