Charles Leblanc's Other Blog: 4/4/10

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Lucien to return to Fredericton on April 17th!!!

Lucien views on NB POWER and Hydro-Quebec

Here's a video I made.....

Michel Corriveau Journaliste de Radio-Canada en action!!!

Et son opinion de Charles-Antoine Gagnon qui nous a laisser Vendredi!!!

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Playing at the Farmer's Market in Fredericton!!!

Pictures taken EXACTLY one, two, three and four years ago today!!!!

One year-

Two years ago-

Three years ago-

Four years ago-

PROTEST ALL NEXT WEEK IN FRONT OF THE NEW BRUNSWICK LEGISLATURE FOR ANTI-BULLYING BILL!!!

This is what Premier Shawn Graham told me yesterday!!

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Anti-Bullying Activist Rob Frenette chats with Blogger!!

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This exchange went on in the New Brunswick Legislature!

Hon. S. Graham: We are finishing one of the longest sessions in the province’s history. The budget
has now been adopted, and many important pieces of legislation have been passed. Many important
initiatives, such as the Poverty Reduction Initiative, have begun to be implemented.
I do want to set the record straight. The Leader of the Opposition seems to be asking today: Why
are we not sitting longer? However, he has not yet raised an issue in all his questions. It is evident
today that the opposition members have run out of issues.
The opposition did bring forward legislation on antibullying. I do want to set the record straight on
that. It is important to note that the Leader of the Opposition likes to talk about consultation.
However, we know that the teachers’ groups and teachers’ unions are not in favour of the legislation
that the Leader of the Opposition has put forward. The opposition members do not want mandatory
sentences or penalties for these students. They want the discretion to rest with the principal. I am
curious. Considering this issue of consultation, can the Leader of the Opposition name any teachers’
groups that he consulted with regarding this legislation?
Mr. Alward: On the issue of Bill 52, it is an example of a bill that is before this House. My question
is to the Premier. There are victims’ groups and antibullying groups that have worked for years to
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see that legislation come forward. The legislation still has to come to Committee of the Whole. Is
the Premier prepared to allow that legislation to come to Committee of the Whole before the House
comes to an end next week?
Hon. S. Graham: I do want to applaud the Leader of the Opposition’s interest in bullying, but, in
fact, the province’s antibullying policies were renewed last year after a long consultation with
teachers, parents, and the district education councils. In fact, today, teachers’ representatives do not
support putting mandatory penalties for bullying in the Act. That has been very clear from our
consultation with these groups. They told us that this would take away the discretionary action from
the teachers on the front lines who know the students best and who can also make the right call.
Again, the policy also allows for more teacher training, which has been put in place now. There are
positive behaviour policies. There are more resources to help struggling students. Also, we have put
in place mediation. These are the things that both the students and the teachers asked for when they
were consulted. We would be happy to make this legislation stronger, but I want to state, as a fact,
that what we are hearing from the teachers’ groups today and from various other groups is that the
legislation that the opposition brought forward is extremely flawed.
Mr. Speaker: Time, Mr. Premier.
Mr. Alward: The Premier is talking about teachers’ groups, and they are important stakeholders.
Do you know something, though? The victims’ groups and antibullying advocates have been saying
that the policies today are not working. This is exactly why we still need to be doing our work. We
said very clearly that, if there are ways to improve that bill, we are open to hearing about
amendments. However, we have a government that is closing the debate in this House. We have a
government that is not allowing that work to be done.
My question to the Premier is very easy. This bill is just one example of bills that are still before the
House. The government members said that they supported it in principle on second reading. Why
are you not allowing full debate to take place—full and open discussions on behalf of the people of
New Brunswick? Why are you going to allow Bill 52 to die?
Hon. S. Graham: I respect the role that the Leader of the Opposition is undertaking, but he has yet
to indicate in this Chamber today one district education council or one teachers’ group that supports
this legislation because he has not undertaken the consultation.
023 12:45
Very clearly, through the consultation process, the teachers on the front lines are saying that you
cannot put mandatory penalties in place that take away the discretion that those frontline teachers
and principals need. They stated that very clearly. Today, the Leader of the Opposition is saying that
he wants us to pass legislation that is flawed and that he has not even consulted on. It breaks the
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premise of what he has been advocating all along in this Chamber. I appreciate what he is attempting
to do, but I would suggest that he go back and talk to those frontline teachers, union members, and
principals. Very clearly, they are opposed to this legislation, which strips them of their
responsibilities by making this mandatory.