The Burnaby Teachers' Association is throwing its weight behind local NDP candidates for the upcoming provincial election.
The association, a local branch of the B.C. Teachers' Federation, is endorsing incumbents Kathy Corrigan (Burnaby-Deer Lake) and Raj Chouhan (Burnaby-Edmonds) and newcomers Janet Routledge (Burnaby North) and Jane Shin (Burnaby-Lougheed).
Association president James Sanyshyn, said teachers "do not take the process of endorsement lightly."
"(It's) a message to both our members and the public at large, informing them that the platform of the B.C. NDP aligns most with what teachers feel are the most important issues in education," he said in a media release.
The association based the endorsement on several factors, including records from the B.C. legislature and responses to a survey on policy positions.
The Burnaby Teachers' Association contacted all major parties, but only the Greens and the NDP replied.
"The NDP responses were deemed most favourable to improved conditions for students (smaller class sizes) and a fair bargaining process," the association stated in a media release. "Under the B.C. Liberals, conditions have worsened for students and teachers. B.C. now ranks 12th out of 13 provinces and territories, in education funding per student, and B.C. teachers have lost many of their rights to bargain for improvements."
The writ for the provincial election will be issued on April 16. General voter registration closes April 23, and voting day is May 14.
