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I Served To Help Children Attend School Abroad, But Am Helpless In B.C.

I sacrificed myself, along with my army buddies, to help children in other countries to attend school, but what can I do in my own country to get children back in school in B.C. Madam Premier, this is our province. Not just mine and definitely not just yours. This province is not just yours to destroy the rights and freedoms of the people.
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In this picture taken on Thursday, May 29, 2014, a Syrian refugee girl sits in a classroom at a Lebanese public school where only Syrian students attend classes in the afternoon, at Kaitaa village in north Lebanon. More than 1.1 million Syrian refugees are now living in Lebanon. Most of them are either excluded or will abstain from the June 3 presidential elections in Syria. Syrian authorities have said that only those who entered Lebanon legally could vote, effectively ruling out tens of thousands of refugees mostly opponents of Assad who crossed through unofficial border posts for fear of authorities. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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In this picture taken on Thursday, May 29, 2014, a Syrian refugee girl sits in a classroom at a Lebanese public school where only Syrian students attend classes in the afternoon, at Kaitaa village in north Lebanon. More than 1.1 million Syrian refugees are now living in Lebanon. Most of them are either excluded or will abstain from the June 3 presidential elections in Syria. Syrian authorities have said that only those who entered Lebanon legally could vote, effectively ruling out tens of thousands of refugees mostly opponents of Assad who crossed through unofficial border posts for fear of authorities. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

To the Hon. Christy Clark,

It saddens me to write this letter while living in our great country of Canada. I believed that, while I served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 21 years. When I retired, I moved to British Columbia in 2002. So you see Madam Premier, I have seen what you have done.

You are tearing apart some of the RIGHTS I served in the Canadian Armed Forces defending. One of the reasons I joined was to serve, protect and defend those that could not do that themselves.

Since I have retired, I've been in schools during the week of remembrance in November. I talk about the normal things as what it means to pay respect to our fallen comrades and those that fought for our freedom. But I always discuss the school systems in other countries that Canada is helping. I discuss that not all children in other countries get to go to school, and even if they do, it may only be the boys and not the girls that have this RIGHT.

I sacrificed myself, along with my army buddies, to help children in other countries to attend school, but what can I do in my own country to get children back in school in B.C.

Madam Premier, this is our province. Not just mine and definitely not just yours. This province is not just yours to destroy the rights and freedoms of the people. You do not own this province and you don't have the right to exclude children of a quality education. You are only a caretaker of this province and you must take good care of it.

We do not want a system that only the wealthy can have an education.

You should not be telling us of the extra costs to education in regards to the B.C. Teachers' Federation demands. You should be telling us, this is what we must do to invest in our future. The bricks and mortar such as the half billion dollars for BC Place are in your budgets, and that is what the extra costs are, and not education.

Both the medical and education systems should be and must be this government's top priority.

I feel proud to be able to pay taxes and help those that are less fortunate. And trust me, I don't have a lot of money. What a beautiful place this would be if we all looked at our neighbours and helped each other. If we loved each other unconditionally, and those that have enough stepped up to help those that didn't. Wouldn't that be a nice place to live?

Honourable Christy Clark, you have an opportunity in front of you to right the wrongs that you and your government have damaged.

You can say sorry to the teachers of British Columbia that you have disrespected to an unbelievable standard. Put aside your vendetta you have towards them and drop the appeals. Give back the money you took from our children in 2002.

You can go to binding arbitration with your head held high. I would actually respect you. As I write this letter, the B.C. labour leaders are asking you to do the same.

I could write many pages on this matter, but I will stop here by asking, please do the RIGHT thing and help our children?

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