Liberal minister has Vancouver school board trustee steaming
March 19, 2009
Georgia Straight
By Pieta Woolley

Vancouver school board trustee Sharon Gregson has slammed the Canadian Women Voters Congress, a nonpartisan group, for inviting Richmond East MLA Linda Reid to be a cochair of its Women’s Campaign School. Reid is minister of state for childcare in B.C.’s Liberal government.

“It’s turned me off their organization,” Gregson told the Straight in a phone interview, noting that she was speaking on behalf of herself only, though she is also a member of the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of B.C. “Really, I’m disappointed she’s been asked, having done such a deplorable job representing the needs of women and children in this province.”

The 11th annual campaign school runs March 27 to 29….

The B.C. childcare budget dipped from $252 million in 2001–02 to $209 million in 2007–08 (minus federal transfers), according to UBC’s Human Early Learning Partnership institute. Ministry of Children and Family Development spokesperson Carolyn Heiman told the Straight that B.C. spent $300 million on childcare this year, up $8 million from last year. Of that, she said, $79 million was federal money.

Vancouver East NDP MP Libby Davies said that she attends the campaign school for the “lively discussion”, and the chance to connect across party lines.

“Maybe going to the campaign school will be good for her [Reid],” Davies told the Straight. “Maybe she’ll be challenged.…What role do women play in the Campbell government, and are they actually listening to what the women of B.C. want? ….