The Chilliwack Teachers' Association has released an election questionnaire it posed to the area's six local candidates, focusing on local and provincial public education issues.
The association is one of the largest public unions in the city, says president Reid Clark, and their members are "eager voters who want to know where all candidates stand on key issues in both the Chilliwack-Cultus Lake and Chilliwack-North ridings."
Reid released a statement along with the questionnaire, saying the union members are "concerned" that the candidates for the B.C. Conservative Party, Heather Maahs (Chilliwack North) and Á'a:líya Warbus (Chilliwack-Cultus Lake), did not respond to their request. He also noted that leader John Rustad released a "misguided" education platform over the Thanksgiving weekend.
“This platform spreads harmful misinformation and poses a direct threat to the quality of education across the province,” he said. “What’s even more concerning is the endorsement of this platform by current Chilliwack School Trustee, Heather Maahs —someone who, as a public official, should know better."
Maahs is running in the Chilliwack North riding, against her former colleague at the Chilliwack School Board, B.C. NDP candidate Dan Coulter, along with independent candidate Dan Grice and B.C. Greens candidate Tim Cooper. Warbus is running against B.C. NDP candidate Kelli Paddon.
"Maahs is expected to champion a fully-funded public education system, yet she is supporting policies that jeopardize the very institution she was elected to protect," Reid said. "Her actions are a betrayal of her role as a trustee, showing a blatant disregard for the future of our students and schools.”
In Tuesday's release, Reid called on "all political parties to prioritize comprehensive, evidence-based education policies that ensure the well-being of students and uphold the integrity of public education."
"The Chilliwack Teachers’ Association invites community members, educators, and parents to join in advocating for policies that support a robust and equitable educational future," he wrote.
He noted that while the B.C. NDP has "taken crucial steps towards enhancing support," all parties need to commit to the needs of both students and educators.”
The questionnaire asked candidates whether they support SOGI 123, free collective bargaining, the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action and First Peoples of Learning, the government funding of private education, and increasing class size to address the teacher shortage and lack of school space in Chilliwack, among other questions.
The full questionnaire is available on the Chilliwack Teachers' Association website at chilliwackteachers.com.
The Progress has reached out to candidates Maahs and Warbus for comment.
