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160 does is give the Minister of Education the power to unilaterally establish rules in these areas (as well as unilaterally setting your eduâ€" cation property tax rates). How the Minister uses that power is wide open. Furthermore, the pressure to increase class size stems from a shortage of funds, a problem that is only going to get worse after addiâ€" tional provincial cuts. The government is implementing standardized testing, a new curâ€" nculum, new report cards and more parental involvement already. None of them are even mentioned in Bill 160. Furthermore, except for minor concerns regarding implementation (e.g. receiving the new curâ€" nculum three days before they were to introduce it), teachers support all of these reforms. As for class size and preparation time, all that Bill across Ontario) like Kansas and Nebraska. In Canada, BC, Quebec and Manitoba all spend more per student than Ontario. Furthermore, a poll released by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education showed that only 13 per cent of Ontarians want to cut the education budget. The government needs to pass Bill 160 to implement its reforms: more teacher time with students, understandable report cards, an end to larger classes, provinceâ€"wide testing, more parental involveâ€" ment, and a backâ€"toâ€"basics curriculum. (Fullâ€"page taxpayerâ€"funded ads, currently running in newspapers the quality of education and their working conditions. If spending more money was all that it took to create a quality education system, Ontario would have the best education system in the world. But we do not. (Premiers televised address to the province, Oct, 22, 1997) Of all North American jurisdictions (including U.S. states and Canadian territories), Ontarios education spending ranks 46. Our spending ranks behind Michigan and New Jersey (two states that the Harmsites like to model themselves after), as well as lessâ€"affluent states Harris government‘s ongoing war against Ontarios teachers is no exception. M&rmw‘hJMh.dum-fl be continuing its effort to paint as the saviour of our children‘s education, and the teachers as the villains standing in the way of their necessary reforms. As you will see below, the facts suggest otherwise: Ontarians don‘t trust teachers‘ unions to set education policy. (Education Minister Dave Johnson â€" echoing earlier remarks by the Premier â€" Oct.23, 1997) An Oracle Research survey released Oct. 23 indicates that 62 per cmdnqmdnmmwuommehdflc&;wflt only 21 per cent trust the Harris government. This is not surâ€" prising, given the negative impact of education cuts already made. The provinceâ€"wide teachers‘ strike is illegal. Fax No. it has been said that truth is the first casualty in any war, and the Waterloo Town Square 75 King St. South, Suite 201 Waterloo, Ontario NJ 1p2 OPivION 886â€"2830 886â€"9383 strike illegal, just as it is technically true when the pot calls the kettle black. It is contrary to the Labour Relations Act to strike when a valid collective agreement is in place. But, if the government is demanding that teachers honour their collective agreements, why is it not willing to do the same? Issues like hours of work and class size are covered by collective agreements that the govâ€" ermment should honour. Teachers did not make the decision to walk out lightâ€" ly They have valid concerns about both (your choice, as the media competes with the Tories to see who can use the word "illegal" most often) Â¥ 47 Jennifer Betike Gerry Mattice Pete Cudhez Tim Gardner Deborah Crandall correct to call the Carolyn Anstey Lynn Mitchell Denise Tucker Shannon Blacker Major Accounts: Bill Karges Make no mistake. The issue is who‘ll control | VHMV the schools â€" the government or the employâ€" u ees. We‘ve seen an increasingly expensive sysâ€" tem yielding mediocre results. The teachers apparently want more of the same with their Ah yes, they‘ll probably want the government 6 to reimburse them for the two coffee breaks a day they don‘t get while on strike. Urge to Merge: Let‘s hope that local politicos turn up their hearing aids and take note of what people are saying about the merging of their i icipali Predictably, members of the Kâ€" W Chamber of Commerce are 75 per cent in favor, Of what? Well, on that point they‘re not as certain. Slil,imnwptrumolllmmyedhvotdnw city covering all of Waterloo Region. That‘s oneâ€"tier governâ€" Schneider roiled in on that first conestoga wagon. Absent Without Leave: Wrong again. 1‘d have bet a dollar to a twoâ€"dayâ€"old doughnut that the teachers wouldn‘t strike, but now they have. Few folks â€" kids as well as adults â€" will ever look at teachers the same way again. Few will look at teachers The existing municipalities would work out an wP Chery! McMenemy Jerry Fischer Evan Mitchell Matthew Haves Millic Martin Darlene Rovie Woeeeenee en en ie en en CR T Te o Ne vi en cce L Cote en rirenenee Publisher: Chery] McMeniemy E: The Waterioe Cnfondietspitiialai Reeiairosy +. [ m The views of our columnists are Mm-‘“fi lhcnrvsollhem, se *) WucdooChronkkisp.WacryMby a division of Southam Inc. _ _ _ â€" * 75 King St. S., Suite 201, Waterloo ON. N2J 1P3 886â€"2830 Brian look ! ... W# hB YOAS candidates for mayor. Oxce over LIGHTIY Say, one grownâ€"up is looking forward to Halloween. }kthcnmamdum&hpbummd says he knows exactly how he‘ll celebrate Halloween: Hes going to fill a vat with spaghetti and bob for meatballs Yes sir, on Halloween little to dress up in mommys oudammbpm-:.flmouzmm daddy‘s still wearing them. the rural gendarmerie used to be busy on Halloween. 1 mbxmdl:apofiaw“hhfia&wm cade. You might call it the privy council at work. Nowadays, one good thing about Halloween is that it makes Back in days of yore, the emphasis used to be on pranks. The demise of outhouses spelled 2 nearâ€"end to the heavyâ€"duty shenanigans. Incidentally, 1 wouldn‘t want to say anything about the restauâ€" rant I used to go to, but on Halloween the kids tipped over the Once upon a time, decorations and the candy collecting were minimal. Now lots of homes are rigged out like an old MGM musiâ€" cal, and the amount of candy collected is a denâ€" but Halloween sure has changed. Americans have set the pace in turning the observance from a teensyâ€"weensy event into a major T@Mormmmmimu, Subscription rates $45 yearly in Canada +GST. ag met by event into a major way This is true continue to w spent in front Let‘s say ins 1,500 hours w with 10 teach be reduced to system (ie. a 1 the classroom to deliver the 270 students dents, the 10 270 students. Now we c ways. As the i provide 9 0 If each st 2,000). They thus each Consider 10 of educatior and smaller objectives as ously. tem is now So let‘s go