What they said

vs. What really happened

Broken Promises on Record

The Mis-Education of the NDP

  • What they said...

    Premier Dexter and his education minister Ramona Jennex are ignoring the damage their education cuts have had on classrooms in Nova Scotia.

    The Dexter government has slashed more than $65 million from public education - they continue to insist that such significant cuts can be made without removing teachers, teaching assistants and resources from the classroom.

    Just this week, education minister Ramona Jennex made a false proclamation in the legislature during question period. Jennex said, “Mr. Speaker, I would just like to remind the members opposite that no teacher lost their job last year. I will repeat that - no teacher lost their job last year.”

    The minister also continues to insist that class sizes are at record lows - she touts a 12.9 student-to-teacher ratio.

    What really happened...

    The Dexter government is fudging the facts.

    The facts contradict the premier and education minister’s claims that no job losses happened because of $65 million in education cuts.

    Last year, 553 positions were eliminated because of the Dexter government’s education cuts. These include:
    • 82 teaching positions
    • 136 program specialists
    • 75 teaching assistants
    • 132 support positions

    That was just last year.

    This year, the Chignecto-Central Regional School board announced more than 100 job losses and the Halifax board said job losses are likely because of the government’s cuts.

    It’s not just the Official Opposition Liberals and the school boards warning of job cuts, the unions are also voicing their concerns.

    The president of CUPE Local 5050 said, “Having just gone through a difficult round of cuts at the end of the last school year (in which we lost dozens and dozens of important, frontline workers from this board), parents need to become more informed and involved if we are to prevent further cuts.”

    NSGEU president Joan Jessome said, "The province is basing its cuts to school boards on declining enrolment. But fewer students do not mean fewer needs … Educational assistants, administrative assistants and librarians need to be there when the students need them."

    During question period, Liberal MLA Andrew Younger asked the education minister if the unions were wrong - she dodged the question and offered the script she was likely given by the premier’s office.

    NSTU president Alexis Allen said, "Students will be affected by these cuts; there is no avoiding it … Our schools are being cut to the core resulting in larger classes, fewer supports, less time for individual attention, and fewer courses to meet individual needs."

    The NSTU is so displeased with this government and this education minister they called for her resignation.



    In response, Premier Dexter responded by attacking school boards and Nova Scotia’s teachers. He said, "They're only going to defend the status quo and that's not acceptable.”

    Instead of offering the proper funding, the premier resorted to cheap attacks on the province’s frontline education workforce - this is not the behaviour of a premier.

    Nova Scotia deserves a premier willing to invest in and provide a quality public education, not a premier who resorts to cheap attacks on students and teachers.
That's what we call... A Broken Promise

© 2012 NS Liberal Party