Grande Prairie Catholic Local 42

It sure seems like schools are a COVID battleground, doesn't it?

"Labour and Immigration Minister Jason Copping said measures in the bill are required to reinstate 'balance' to the Workers' Compensation Board system and manage costs." The phrase "reinstate balance" should be viewed with skepticism.

A couple of reactions to this: 1. The announcement of the new curriculum working groups was a surprise to many, but clearly not to Jason Kenney marionette David Staples who had time to get a quote from Adriana LaGrange, our elusive Minister of Education. 2. The names of these teachers will be published, exposing them to online scrutiny and bullying from curriculum activist wingnuts like David Staples, among others (Parents for Choice in Education comes to mind).... 3. Staples’ assurances that these teachers will be treated fairly ring very hollow given that Staples’ and others vilification of discovery math is the QAnon of the Alberta education world: it’s just made up nonsense. Alberta’s math scores are fine: check the PISA results. Discovery math was never a thing: Alberta Education even produced a Helping Parents Understand the Alberta Mathematics Kindergarten to Grade 9 Program of Studies Parents back in 2015 as a guide for dealing with parents who had been riled up by Staples’ and others’ gaslighting (see comments). One of the world’s finest and highest performing education systems is having a curriculum problem that DOES NOT EXIST fixed to assuage the concerns of busybodies and boneheads. Call your MLA and cancel your Edmonton Journal subscription. https://edmontonjournal.com//david-staples-albertas-curric

The Bargaining Unit General Meeting (BUGM) will be this coming WEDNESDAY! Please attend! You can win prizes!

Here's the government's full release on teh declaration of a public health emergency. https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm

Wait ... the new curriculum groups need to be formed within a week and in Edmonton for November 25th and 26th to provide feedback on the new curriculum? They'll get just TWO FREAKING DAYS to do that? The government's handpicked curriculum advisors, including the reprehensible Christian Champion, got a LOT longer to do their work. And Steve Allen's ridiculous Public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns seems to get extension after extension. This is about the educati...on of every child in the province of Alberta. The process can't be rushed. It needs to be done well and transparently. This Minister needs to give these folks more time or RESIGN.

Finance Minister said some troubling things about the public sector in today's fiscal update. This government seems to believe that the public sector represents nothing but red ink. Here's the reality: the public sector is an enormous part of the Alberta economy. The public sector enables and amplifies the economic efforts of the private sector. Roads are built and maintained with public dollars; many businesses rely on that infrastructure. Our public schools teach children to become literate and numerate adults (an economic necessity) and to become active and responsible citizens. It's shameful that the Minister would denigrate or diminish the contributions of public sector workers, even by implication or omission.

The Premier has declared a public health emergency, placing new restrictions on faith gatherings, businesses, social gatherings, and schools. The notes below are based on the Premier's opening remarks. If there are errors please comment and changes will be made. A visual summary is attached. He identified social gatherings as the biggest problem. No indoor social gatherings will be permitted in any setting and outdoor gatherings will be limited to 10 people. Funerals and ...weddings will be limited to 10 attendees. The above rules are mandatory and will be enforced with fines. An emergency alert will go out later this week on smartphones. Faith gatherings and places of worship will be capped at 1/3 of fire code and requiring masking of attendees. These rules will be mandatory. These will be in place in for three weeks. There will be three tiers of restrictions for businesses. Banquet halls, stadiums, etc. will be closed. Retail businesses and services can remain open but will be restricted to 25% of occupancy. Restaurant attendees would have to be members of the same household. If workers can work from home, they should do so. Government workers will also be working from home, if possible. GRADES 7 to 12 WILL CEASE IN-PERSON LEARNING AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER. ELEMENTARY GRADES WILL CONTINUE IN-PERSON CLASSES UNTIL DECEMBER 18th. In-person learning will recommence on the 11th of January. Diploma exams will be optional for the full year. Masks will be mandatory in all indoor settings in the Edmonton and Calgary Health Zones.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=1306515426373670&ref=notif¬if_id=1606260654843495¬if_t=live_video

Enhanced COVID measures have significant public support. http://thinkhq.ca///THQ-Media-Release-November-23-2020.pdf