What effect has this "free market" driven economic policy had on public services in B.C.? You don't have to look further than your local school board struggling to identify yet further cuts to the programs and services that once made the system the strongest in the world.

The climate of confrontation and conflict imposes a dreadful toll on teachers. Some say why don't we just give in? Why not simply teach under whatever conditions the government constructs in public schools, collect our pay checks and go home?

I appreciate current B.C. Education Minister Peter Fassbender was not involved in 2012, but his recent assertions that government was fully committed to, and even responsible for, the success of the contract negotiations are inconsistent with my experience.

The facts of the case are clear: the rhetoric of the B.C. government of seeking labour peace and stability and of providing parents and students with flexibility and choice is duplicitous. The intention was to rob the system of the funding it needs and to use teachers as scapegoats in the quest to get re-elected.