February 11, 2003

Truth in Education Funding - One more time!

The truth challenged, "you didn't ask me that question", Campbell government, appears to be having some trouble getting its story straight on education funding. On February 10th Premier Campbell and Education Minister Christy Clark announced that government would provide an additional "one time grant" of $50 million to BC's schools. They made a similar announcement on March 28, 2002, claiming that they were providing an additional $44.6 million to schools in B.C. through "savings in the ministry's budget." How often can you have a one time grant?

Campbell's infamous "New Era Document" promised that they would "Give school boards multi-year funding envelopes, to improve long-term education planning and budgeting." Withholding enough money at the margin of the "funding envelope", say $50 million, is enough to throw the school boards off balance. The announcement that the "one time funding" will be repeated in 2003-04 is good news. An honest government that kept its campaign promise would say today that it will also provide that money in 2004-05; anything less means that the Campbell government is breaking another campaign promise.