When British Columbians are asked to name the top issue facing the province, they consistently have cited the economy and health care for the past year and a half. Education has fallen into a tie for sixth place, and is mentioned by only one in 20 respondents.
Despite this, voters in the province are definitely not shy about pinpointing what they perceive as problems with B.C.'s education system. This week, we asked British Columbians about their level of concern with eight education-related issues. Three of them stood out, with more than seven-in-10 British Columbians identifying them as problems: bureaucracy and poor management, labour disputes between teachers and the government, and inadequate resources and facilities for children.
These problems far outrank other issues that have garnered a lot of media mentions recently – such as large class sizes – and also outline a similar pattern when compared with the concerns British Columbians expressed about health care. In the middle of an election campaign, respondents are not particularly angry at the way teachers are doing their jobs; they are primarily focused on ensuring that provincial funding is properly allocated, that strikes are not causing snags for families, and that the money is used properly so children have what they need to learn and succeed.
The education platforms of B.C.'s main political parties directly address two of these three issues. The Liberals have been unwavering in their support for achieving a 10-year deal with the British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF). The New Democratic Party has preferred to focus on allocating resources equitably. Very little has been said on battling bureaucracy.
The notion of labour peace with teachers is particularly appealing to the governing party's base, with 76 per cent of Liberal decided voters pinpointing "disputes between teachers and the government" as an issue they are "very concerned" or "moderately concerned" about. The NDP is also perfectly in sync with its core supporters when it comes to identifying problems, with 87 per cent of them citing "inadequate resources and facilities" as a burden that needs to be dealt with.
The Liberals, currently led by a former education minister, are seen as the best option to handle education by only 20 per cent of respondents across the province. The New Democrats, who have consistently led on this topic since Carole James was elected leader, are seen as the better choice by 34 per cent.
In addition to the clear lead among all respondents, the level of connection that NDP voters have with their party on education is impressive, with 70 per cent selecting them as the best option. In stark contrast, the Liberals are only endorsed on this issue by 55 per cent of their voters.
One topic that has generated widespread attention, particularly in light of the suicide of Amanda Todd, is bullying. While 66 per cent of British Columbians say it is a concern, the proportion climbs to 72 per cent among women – a demographic that the Liberals urgently need to connect with.
Bullying is an issue that Christy Clark discussed widely and openly during her semi-retirement from politics. The Liberal platform is heavy on funds, touting $1-million already allocated in new grants for anti-bullying organizations and an additional $250,000 to support Pink Shirt Day. It is also feeble on commitments, choosing verbs such as "continue to build" or "continue to work" instead of "implement" or "execute."
The NDP devotes two paragraphs to taking action against bullying, with a vow both to create provincewide standards for school codes of conduct, and deal effectively with discrimination. Neither party seems to be paying much attention to cyber-bullying.
In the end, as is the case with other issues in this provincial campaign, the way an education-minded voter will lean or vote boils down to credibility. One party is promising a decade of labour peace. The other has pledged to improve the learning conditions for children. Only one of these promises will actually put the governing party to the test.