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First published in the Winnipeg Free Press July 7, 2021 Manitoba property owners just received a large cheque in the mail from the provincial Minister of Finance. Why this money and why now? Under the cover of the third wave of COVID, the Manitoba government made the largest single revenue cut in the province’s history by slashing the Education Property Tax. This massive cut benefits those least impacted by COVID while starving the public purse.
Previously published in the Winnipeg Free Press May 25, 2021
The Education Property Tax Reduction Act will increase income inequality in Manitoba and will not help those impacted by COVID.
Previously published in the Winnipeg Free Press on Wednesday May 12, 2021
First published in the Winnipeg Free Press Friday May 7, 2021
First published in the Winnipeg Free Press April 23, 2021 A teacher hands a child his report card in the morning, and intervenes in a child’s bullying in the afternoon --- a few hours later, their parents tell the principal if that teacher’s career should continue.  Bill 64 creates that scenario, in 84 (3)(e) which gives parents on a school community council the power to “make recommendations respecting the need to evaluate the performance of any person employed at the school.”  Anyone have a problem with that situation? 
One of the books I ordered after George Floyd was killed is called ‘Anti-Racist Baby’, by Ibram X. Kendi. It is a list of actions parents can take to teach their kids to be anti-racist. The third point in the book is ‘Point at policies as the problem, not people’. So, here we go. Let’s point at a proposed policy. It’s easy to get lost in all the problematic aspects of Bill 64, especially as a  teacher. It becomes a ‘can’t see the forest for the trees’ situation.
Bill 55, The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, includes a commitment to eliminating the Adult Literacy Act. I am speaking against the elimination of the Adult Lit-eracy Act. I believe that the government ought to be increasing its commitment to adult literacy, not eliminating the Act.
First published in the Winnipeg Free Press March 26, 2021