north shore news

MAIL B

OX

Criticism of private
schools was unfounded

Dear Editor:

- | was interested to read
public school graduate Chris
Loewen’s April 8 letter ro the

editor in which he makes sev- °

eral comments about parent-
ing, public schools, and inde-
pendent schools ‘(these he
telers to as private schools),
and which he concludes with
the comment, *... the social
injustices of Private schools
outweigh their economic
benefits.”
I think that Mr. Loewen’s
treatment of the issucs would
benefit from further informa-
tion and_ consideration.
_- For the most part, inde-
pendent schools are set up
according to the wishes of a
group of primary educators
of children and parents, who
“hold common. educational
goals.
These goals, for. whatever
reasons; have not been met in
~ the public school system, and

it has become the added
“responsibility of tax-paying
‘citizens to provide a setting

<< in. which. these educational

goals may be met.
‘To date, parents have had
this freedom to pay addition-

“Sal money for the education of -

~- their children in ‘the manner
they sce fit.
This - “freedom”

to pay

twice for a child's schooling
ought to seem more of an
injustice to Mr. Loewen’s
middle income social con-
science than should the par-
tial funding of legitimate
parental choice in education.
One of the roles of par-
ents is to protect their chil-
dren from influences that are
deemed to be detrimental to
their well-being.
Informing
what the “real world” is like
before they are sufficiently
prepared to deal with it

would seem to be a form of

neglect, if not outright abuse.

It is somewhat of an over-
statement for Mr. Loewen to
term this parental concern
for a child's innocence as,
“shelter[ing them] under
Mommy = and. Daddy's
money.”

There are two classifica-
tions of independent schools
that are cligible to receive

funding from the Ministry of

Education: Group } Schools,
which receive 50% of their
running costs,.and Group 2
Schools, which receive 35%.
These schools must meet
criteria set up by the ministry

“concerning curriculunt. facili-

ties, staffing and budget.
The: calculation of how
ch funding is allotted to a

> MMISSION

children of

North Varicouver
Residents,

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given independent school is
determined according to the
school district in which it is
located.

This funding is a percent-

age of the running costs of

the school, and not of the
toral cost of a student's yvear-
ly education.

When a consideration of

the buildings, machinery,
supplies, transportation, and
other capital casts is made,
the percentage of funding for
independent schools provid-
ed by the ministry is signifi-
cantly smaller than the 50%
calcuiated by Mr. Loewen,
despite his earlier successes in
Grade 12 math.

Finally, Mr. Loewen
states, “Until private schools
are legislated to accept every
applicant they receive, they
should be given no public
funding.”

Public schools are not
hat legislation, as no
ual cchool is equipped

with staff or facilities to han-

dle the full possible range of

student needs.

Does he give a reason for
the double standard he sug-
pests?

Martin Dale
North Vancouver

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Wednesday, May 20, 1998 — North Shore News - 9

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advertorial, May 20/1998

TRAVEL JUNKETS GALORE

itis some time now since I printed in
this report a few excerpts from the daily
Question Period in Parliament. Recent
extravagant spending by the Prime
Minister though, has prompted me to
share with you two questions asked by
Reform MPs on May 12th. One of the
questions, put to the Government by
Chuck Strahl, the MP for Fraser Valley,

targeted the May 19th to May 23rd trip |

to Italy by 17 Liberal MPs in a chartered
jet, while the second question, posed
by Deborah Grey, MP for Edmonton
North, dealt with the accumulated trav-
el expenses of the Prime Minister.

A HOLIDAY IN ITALY

The text below comes directly from the
Hansard record of the proceedings of
Parliament, but any interjections recorded
as having come from other MPs have
been removed for clarity. ,
Mr. Chuck Strahl: Mr. Speaker, 17
Liberal MPs are flying with the Prime
Minister on his latest junket, this time to
italy. No opposition MPs are going
because this is not about government
ousiness. It is about Liberal Party. busi-
ness. St is called taking care of favours. It
is too bad the taxpayers are on the hook
for the charges. The Liberal MP for
Niagara Falls said the trip is a great oppor-
tunity for him to make sales for his wine

business. Why do taxpayers have to foot.

the oill so that this MP can make a per-
sonal profit?

Hon. Don Boudria (Leader of the -

Government in’ the House of
Commons): Mr. Speaker, not surprisingly
the hon. member’s numbers are wrong
again. Let me give him the following infor-

‘mation. First of alt Italy is the fifth largest
economy in the world. Mr. Speaker, the.
hon. member across does not. seem to -

know anything else about Italy other than

the fact that it is. shaped like a boot, by |

what he just said. | would like to, think there

“ are things more important. We are talking
about the relationship between two of the

largest economies on the face of the earth.
Italy is the. 11th largest trading partner. of

.Canada. We have asked. MPs of Italian’.
origin from ail parties in this House to rep- :
resent our country to ‘enhance our Wading. '
‘and otherwise. :

{ Mr. Chuck Strahl: Mr. Speaker, if the ©

Government wants to build strong relation-
ships with Italy, which it should, this is the -
“wrong way to go about it. | will tell him that.
What the Liberals have done is that they.

- have waited until Parliament takes. a
“Break. They have. hired an airplane and

will load it with good loyal Liberal back-
benchers. They are toddling off for a vaca-
tion. There is nothing else, pure and sim-
ple. It is not true that this trip is about build-

ing strong Italian-Canadian relationships.
This trip is a reward for good loyal Liberal

_. | backbenchers.
: Hon.

Herb Grey (Deputy Prime
Minisier): Mr. Speaker, what is’ the hon.
member suggesting? Does ‘he want the
members to go away while the House ‘is
sitting? Is: this not.the proper use of the
break? Furthermore, if the hon. whip was
interested in promoting Canada’s trade

with Italy, then he and the other opposition :

’ Mulroney, why is i

parties would not refuse to send their
members as part of the delegation. Let
them show their sincerity by taking part in
this mission.
ANOTHER RECORD FOR THE PM
The Prime Minister long ago broke
Brian Mulroney's record for patronage and
Senate appointments, but he also holds

‘the record for travel expenses.

Miss Deborah Grey: Mr. Speaker, when.
the Liberals were in opposition they went”
up one side and down the other of Brian
Mulroney for spending $9.5 million on
international travel in those five years. But
since 1993 this Prime Minister has racked -
up over $12 million in inteznational travel. |
have just one question for - the’
Government. Why was it so bad when it
was in opposition but it is so good when it
is in Government?

Hon. Don Boudria: Mr.. Speaker, this
Goverment will not apologize for Tearn
Canada which is creating thousands and
thousands of jobs for Canadians. We do
not apologize for going to Italy to sell’
Canadian goods abroad. We will not apol- -
ogize for going to South America to ‘sell.
Canadian expertise, the best in the world:
That is what this country is all about..We

want to continue creating’ jobs. notwith-"[..

standing the adverse wishes ‘of the
Reform Party.

Miss Deborah Grey: Mr. Speaker, thai
sounds exactly like Brian Mulroney whe
he sat in that chair just ahead of the mem
ber. Twelve. million dollars: and. countin:
this Prime Minister spent: Nina and.a half}
millizn it was for Mr Mulroney and he said, ,
“We don't apologize at. all." This-Depitty -
Prime Minister in 1993 said it was egoma-’
nia. If the shoe fits, they have to wear it. :
Let me ask again..If it was so wrong for:
ight for this Prime
Minister? _ bate

she saying that hundreds of business | mei
and, women, are Wrong when they accom:

: pa Statistics Canada; trad

8 of 12. countries visited. by Te ;
Canada has gene DOWN since: the
visits, a 75% failure rate. On aver-:

‘age, exports to. China/Hong’ Kong‘
“are down :19%;

to: Trinidad ‘and_
Tobago, . Uruguay, Argentina, and:
Chile,: down 17%; ‘Malaysia : ‘and:
Pakistan, down:2%. |...
‘WATCHING QUESTION. PERIOD.
Parliament is:in recess this’ week, but
you can tune in to Question Period again :

-beginning: next week, on North Shore’: :

Cable Channel 58, according to the fol--
lowing timetable: Monday to Thursday at
1tam Vancouver time, and Friday at 8am
Vancouver time

You-NEED To Know.

BOO

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