Letter: Union members are taxpayers and voters, too
By Letter to the Editor on June 4, 2021.
Dear editor, In a May 29 letter to the editor, Ms. Elizabeth Stewart wrote about how unions were not elected by the people of Alberta and that teachers and doctors are simply employees paid by the taxpayers of Alberta. As a teacher in the Province of Alberta, I would like to take this time to educate and inform Ms. Stewart and others who hold fast to this opinion. Firstly, teachers, doctors, nurses and other “union members” are also taxpayers in the country of Canada. I pay my taxes and vote in elections. As a taxpaying Canadian, I have every right to voice my opinion on how my tax dollars should be spent. Secondly, as a teacher in this province, I am allowed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to assert my freedom of expression. What this means is that if I feel that something is not in the best interests of my students, or indeed, the students of Alberta, it is my duty to speak up. Furthermore, Ms. Stewart would have no issues with my opinion if it was the same as hers. In a democracy, Ms. Stewart, differing opinions are welcome. You feel that the education minister is “doing the best she can.” I am sorry, that is not good enough. When 99% of teachers show no confidence in this minister, it is because there are thousands of parents, thousands of teachers, 58 of 61 school boards, Indigenous Peoples and numerous experts in the field of education, that believe this curriculum is terrible and will be detrimental to the education of current and future students. To simply accept this draft curriculum would be a dereliction of duty. In conclusion, while Ms. Stewart and myself both agree that everyone should be allowed their opinions, Ms. Stewart simply wants her opinion to be the only one listened to. Ms. Stewart feels that if anyone that has an opinion other than what the employer believes should hear the phrase “You’re Fired!” I look forward to firing this premier and his government in 2023, or sooner. Ryan Bailey Cold Lake 12-11
Great comments Ryan. Even the true conservatives in my world want to see them fired also. There is certainly nothing conservative about them.
Anyone who deliberately tries to destroy everything our hero Peter Lougheed created for us while giving away our tax revenues and royalties to their rich friends and promises to cut 11,000 health care jobs, teaching jobs and make us pay a lot more out of own pockets is no friend of ours and doesn’t deserve our support.
Brainwashing ignorant Albertans into believing that Unions are their enemy, or that our financial problems are all Ottawa’s fault when it’s the fault of these Reformers shows you that treating Albertans like morons has always been their plan. Apparently it worked on Ms. Stewart.