By Lori Culbert, Vancouver Sun, 6 June 2001
Ben warned about looming cutbacks the day Gordon Campbell was sworn in as BC's premier and predicted "mass mobilization"
VICTORIA — Christy Clark, B.C.’s new education minister, says the Liberal government will make teachers an essential service, regardless of a potential showdown with their powerful union.
The situation with teachers, who enter contract negotiations in the fall, is one of four major labour challenges the new government faces. But Clark, who is also deputy premier, would not comment on the possibility of a labour crisis brewing in the province.
“I can’t predict if that is going to happen in the future. I do know, though, that we have a mandate from British Columbians to keep these promises and making education an essential service is something that is going to happen in the first 90 days of this government,” she said, after the new Liberal cabinet was sworn in Tuesday.
The essential services legislation cannot be passed until the house sits again, likely in late July.
Also Tuesday, B.C.’s nurses were expected to reject the government’s latest contract offer, and to continue an overtime ban that is crippling hospitals.
Add to that the fact that health science workers, including hospital pharmacists, lab technicians and x-ray technicians, have also taken job action.
And Lower Mainland transit workers are in the 10th week of a strike.
Labour Minister Graham Bruce said the nurses’ dispute will be a priority for the new government, but was non-committal on what type of action could be taken at the first cabinet meeting today. He also wouldn’t say whether extra money could be found to try to settle the dispute.
However, he said he was optimistic when asked about the potential for a nasty stand-off with labour groups.
“When you bring forward good legislation and government, obviously there will be concerns from people who will be impacted by it. [But] I think that when it’s well explained … by and large the majority of people will understand,” said Bruce, a Socred MLA, from 1986 to 1991 and municipal affairs minister under former premier Bill Vander Zalm.
Health Services Minister Colin Hansen, health critic when a member of the Liberal opposition, said the responsibility for the nurses’ dispute lies with the ministers of finance and labour, who must decide the next course of action, but said the Liberals will not cut health care funding in B.C. below the $9.3 billion budget brought in by the NDP.
Finance Minister Gary Collins had little to say in advance of the results of the nurses’ vote, and wouldn’t commit to sweetening the contract offer as he says he has not yet seen the province’s books.
Transportation Minister Judith Reid refused to comment on what a Liberal government may do to solve the 10-week-old transit strike until she has a briefing today with her deputy minister.
Premier Gordon Campbell has said he wouldn’t legislate the bus drivers back to work, but neither Reid nor Bruce would say if there had been a change in that position — or whether a 60-day cooling- off period will be considered.
Campbell refused to say until after his cabinet meeting today how his government will next proceed in the nurses dispute.
He would say little more about the transit strike, noting only that the matter is before an industrial inquiry commissioner.
Not everyone was celebrating the arrival of the new government in Victoria on Tuesday.
About 50 protesters marched on Government House, where the cabinet was sworn in.
Kathryn Saunders, who helped organize the rally involving native groups, students and social activists, said the public must be an official Opposition to the Liberals since the party captured 77 of the province’s 79 seats.
“We wanted to show there is an opposition,” said Saunders, a social worker.
Another protester, Ben Isitt, predicted there will be more protests in the future against Liberal policies. “I think we will see, when the cuts come down, mass mobilization,” said the University of Victoria graduate student.
Campbell promised Tuesday that he will give $300,000 to the NDP for staff, research money and an office in Vancouver, but stopped short of giving the party’s two members official Opposition status — and the higher funding and status that goes along with the title.
NDP MLA Joy MacPhail said she will work with Liberal House Leader Gary Collins to negotiate the appropriate amount of money available to them, but would not say if $300,000 would be enough.
MacPhail predicted there would be opposition in the streets to some Liberal programs, and said the slim NDP caucus would welcome that support.
“We’re going to make great use of the community to make sure that Gordon Campbell is held accountable.”
