The election is fast approaching and we’re here to help you sort through the noise.

 

• LEARN about the candidates for your area through our comprehensive “Get to know your candidates” resource.
• SHARE this resource to equip others, by forwarding this link or printing the half page flyers.
• VOLUNTEER. If you know a strong candidate, reach out to them today and help out. Ultimately boots on the ground are what make a difference, especially in urban areas where election results could have closer margins. 
• ATTEND CANDIDATE EVENTS AND FORUMS, many of which have been added to the constituency pages of our “Get to know your candidates” resource. Scroll past the candidate names and look for the heading “Get more involved”.
• TUNE-IN to the Alberta Leader’s debate, happening Thursday April 4^th at 5:30 PM.
• DONATE to support PCE’s continued efforts to advocate for an excellent, quality-oriented, choice-driven education system which recognizes parental authority.

 

Thank you to both Bridge City News and Danielle Smith on News Talk 770 for their recent interviews with Donna Trimble, Executive Director of Parents for Choice in Education, to give parents a voice and discuss education issues in the context of the upcoming election.

 

A REMINDER OF WHY YOUR VOTE MATTERS

One of the hot-button issues in the media recently has been GSAs in schools, yet most of the coverage failed dismally in representing the issue accurately.

It is up to us, the citizens of Alberta, to remind those in our spheres of influence about the devastating effects we have already witnessed as a result of the poorly-written laws brought into effect by the NDP through Bill 24:

 

• A student with autism almost died from suicide after living a double life as a boy at school and a girl at home, leaving the parents “pleading with Rachel Notley’s NDP government to ‘not shut parents out of their children’s lives’ and ‘to bring some nuance’ into Bill 24”. (Calgary Herald, May 7, 2018)

 

• A student, taken off school property during school hours, was told that “his mother would not know if he attended a GSA conference and miss all of his classes” and he was provided with materials including 153 condoms and a graphic sexual flip book that explicitly showed step by step illustrations for various forms of sexual activity. (Calgary Herald, Dec. 4, 2018)

 

• A principal of a Catholic Francophone school was abruptly suspended from his position when students made allegations against him regarding how he had dealt with their GSA.  The legal fees for the school board are over half a million dollars so far. (Edmonton Journal, March 14, 2019)  Additionally, concerns have been expressed that students were removed from school property without parental knowledge or consent. (St. Paul Journal, May 9, 2018)

 

• At least 4,000 students could lose the schools they love.  Christian, Sikh and Jewish schools are taking a stand for families, faith and freedom and the current government has threatened to pull funding next fall. (Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, Parents, Independent and Religious Schools v. Alberta Minister of Education)

 

Parents for Choice in Education has repeatedly warned Albertans about the dangers of this legislation.

Any law that isolates vulnerable children, forbids communication with parents, provides a free pass for sexual content to be provided to K-12 children in clubs and activities, strips school autonomy and destroys the freedom of faith-based schools to operate according to their beliefs is not a good law.

We call on Albertans to seek out candidates who recognize the dangers of this law and will pledge to ensure that changes are made going forward.

 

IN THE NEWS

Included below are a number of recently published articles, related to our advocacy toward an excellent, quality-oriented, choice-driven education system which recognizes parental authority. 

 

Opinion: More charter schools mean better results for less money

Calgary Herald, 2019.03.16

"What if the Alberta government could enhance choice in education and deliver top student marks, while saving taxpayers money? The government can make that a reality by removing the shackles limiting the growth of charter schools." [READ MORE]

 

Alberta school boards intervene in Catholic school funding rights case

Edmonton Journal, 2019.03.12

"If the case makes it to the Supreme Court of Canada, the outcome could affect Alberta schools because the two provinces have the same constitutional law governing separate schools, and similar funding arrangements for public and Catholic schools." [READ MORE]

 

Alberta Party pledges mandatory vaccinations for school children if elected

Global News, 2019.03.07

"The Alberta Party said, if elected to government this spring, it would require children to have all their vaccinations in order to attend publicly-funded schools."

"Rachel Notley and Jason Kenney both said they think government must play a role in ensuring as many people as possible are vaccinated, however, they both said government shouldn’t overstep."  [READ MORE]

 

NDP limiting school choice by refusing charter school applications, UCP says

Edmonton Journal, 2019.03.04

"UCP education critic and Drayton Valley-Devon MLA Mark Smith said in a Saturday interview the NDP government has obstructed education choices in the province by refusing to approve applicants who believed they met all the requirements to found new charter schools." [READ MORE]

 

Charter schools may get ally in UCP while public school advocates fear path to privatization

Calgary Sun, 2019.03.03

"After four years of what some call dwindling government support, charter schools in Calgary may get an ally in UCP Leader Jason Kenney, who has said his party will look to lift the cap on charter schools if elected this year."  [READ MORE]