MAILBOX Government education policy needs further consideration Open letter to the Honorable Stan Hagen, Minister of Education: Funding for education must reflect the needs of each local school district. The school boards advise your ministry of these needs, and the funding is then es- tablished. The block of funds for North Vancouver for 1991/92 is inade- quate, as stated by Dr. Robin Brayne, Superintendent of Schools. I am sure this underfun- ding is a problem for most other districts, if not all. Your government proudly an- nounced a $650 million fund for school buildings expansion. What good are additional facilities without proper funding for sup- plies, salaries, maintenance, goods and services? Local school boards are elected to manage the individual districts. However, when these boards submit reasonable budgets for the upcoming year, your @iinistry re- jects them. { would also comment on the Compensation Fairness Act. There are two problems with the Act. First, it removes from each local district the real opportunity to collectively bargain wages and working conditions. Your gov- ernment granted bargaining rights to local teacher associations and boards, and now hamstrings those duly negotiated agreements. Sc- cond, local school districts cannot properly budget when these budgets are subject to the final blessing of the Commissioner of Compensation. North Vancouver dectared its ability to pay but the commis- sioner has now ordered the North Vancouver Teachers’ Association and the North Vancouver School Board back to the bargaining table and therefore the school board cannot implement aw negoti- ated salary increase for its teach- ers. One might comment that the provincial government ‘‘gave, and {now) hath taken away."* Education and health are the two most important services pro- vided by government. I urge you to reconsider your policies that severely hinder the delivery of quality education in British Col- umbia. Jeremy Halton, Liberal candidate West Vancouver-Capilano Where can we play soccer in NV? Dear Editor: My friends and ¢ occasionally organize a soccer game at one of the many parks in Norh Van- couver. Recently we got together a group of about 15 people and met at Boulevard Park. As we were about 20 minutes into the game, a man in a city truck drove up onto the field we were playing at and told us all to leave before he called the police. The only explanation he gave us was that we did not have a permit ta play on the field. The soccer season is now over and there was nobody waiting to use the field, so why kick us off? Indoor tennis facility required Dear Editor: | am disappointed that the North Shore News coverage of the five-year Master Plan for North Vancouver ceased with one issue mentioning parks. One need that keeps cropping up is a public indoor tennis facili- ty. The only way you can play tennis undercover in inclement weather is to join a private club. This is not feasible for many North Shore residents because of the initiation fee and the monthly cost involved. There also has to be a time commitment to make the News Mailbox requirements LETTERS TO the editor must in- clude your name, written legibly, your full address and telephone number. Due to space constraints the North Shore News cannot publish all letters. Published letters may be edited for brevity, clarity, ac- curacy, legality and taste. your move. Mate outlay worthwhile. Why is there no public tennis indoor facility in North Van- couver? There would be no cost to the taxpayer as indoor tennis has proved to generate money, so the initial costs would soon be recov- ered and the facility would be self-funded. Tennis players, please rally ‘round and fet the city and district know that you need and would use an indoor tennis facility. A. Smith North Vancouver Mercedes-Benz BMW Porsche Toyoia Acura Honda The desirable trades are found at: Mercedes-Benz See this issueof Aulomotiv Classified 1375 Marine Dr. North Van $84-9351 We had not mide a mess, we were not Joud, we were justa bunch of kids who wanted to play an inno- cent game of soccer. I hear everyone complaining about kids roaming the streets, causing damage and doing drugs, but what other choice do these kids have when they are kicked off the parks and the fields that they themselves help pay for? Thomas Mazalek North Vancouver “¥ Pacific : BZ Hearing ¢ Clinic Sunday, July 14, 1991 - North Shore News - 7 MOTOR VEHICLE INJURY CLAIMS DEREK A. CAVE A Law Corporation Over 20 years experience in the trial of injury and trauma cases. 687-0258 926-4133 HEARING PROBLEMS? WE CAN HELP Neil Walton, MSc. 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