Business Influence

The coordinator of a community group in Calgary recently articulated the fundamental contradiction between "human capital" arguments (that Canada and Alberta need a more skilled, more educated workforce) and the provincial cuts to education that will occur in the next three years. She went on to suggest that we are returning to a time then the answer to everything is "charity." Provincial cuts also open the door for business to become more involved in public education, since someone will have to "take up the slack" that is left.. In my view, this describes in a nutshell what will happen in Alberta.

The cuts in Alberta and similar cuts across the country are a war on women, on all "voiceless " people.

Large companies in Calgary are already receiving regular requests from schools for financial assistance, and this is increasing. However, businesses are limited in the amount of support that they are prepared to give, and inevitably the voluntary work of parents in fundraising activities and volunteer time in schools will increase. An ESL teacher comments on the trend: "Well, the problem that I see with [putting the onus back on parents] is that so often the onus does not go back on the parents. The onus goes back on the female, whether it's mum, aunt, sister, whoever the female position is in that family. Because we know, I mean, in the end, who probably is responsible for the children, who takes on that role?"

Of course, another problem is that "the filling in of holes" left by funding cuts will not occur evenly. That is, the parents who have time to spend in their children's school, and the choices that businesses make in allocating resources, will undoubtedly reflect existing inequities. In short, the groups who will suffer most are those who are traditionally disadvantaged (women, visible minorities, native people and people with disabilities) and this disadvantage will be perpetuated along existing class lines.

The cuts in Alberta and similar cuts across the country are a war on women, and on all "voiceless" people. It is essential that coalitions be built among labor unions and social advocacy groups who are fighting for justice, and this is beginning to happen in Alberta through the formation of a coalition called the Common Front. We hope -- those of us who see a brighter future -- that the process of grass - roots organizing and activism will be rekindled in Alberta and that a truly "Better Way" will be found.

Alison Taylor is completing her doctorate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Her thesis is entitled, "Partnerships for 'Post-Industrial' Purposes; Understanding the Context of Change in Alberta Schools.

La guerre menée aux femmes en Alberta

par Alison Taylor

Les femmes et d'autres groupes défavorisés seront particulièrement touchés par les coupures et la restructuration de l'enseignement public que le gouvernement de l'Alberta prévoit pour éliminer le déficit provincial.

Les subventions de tous les programmes de base et d'éducation des adultes seront coupées. En ce qui concerne les cours dont les inscriptions couvrent les frais, le choix des personnes qui n'ont pas les moyens de les payer diminuera considérablement. Ces coupures dans l'éducation des adultes touchera particulièrement les autochtones, puisque 75 % quittent l'école avant d'être diplômés et reprennent souvent des études plus tard. La suppression de postes d'enseignement d'anglais langue seconde affectera directement l'emploi des femmes, car ce sont souvent des femmes qui dispensent ce genre de cours. Les coupures dans le secteur de l'éducation spéciale et des services à la petite enfance feront encore porter le fardeau aux femmes, car ce sont elles qui s'occupent principalement des enfants.

Toutes ces coupures dans le secteur de l'éducation permettent au milieu des affaires d'intervenir et d'exercer davantage d'influence, en demandant une aide financière plus importante. On note déjà cette tendance dans les écoles où la concurrence devient plus forte et où on met l'accent sur des disciplines comme les maths et les sciences. Les syndicats et les groupes de défense sociale doivent former des coalitions pour sauvegarder un droit fondamental, soit le droit de tous et de toutes de recevoir une même éducation habilitante.

Articles by the following authors appearing in the Calgary Herald were used as information sources: Collins, R. (March 9, 1994, p.B1); Cunningham, J. (February 14, 1994, p.B1); Dempster, L. (April 14, 1994, p.B3); Dempster, L. (April 8, 1994, p.B2); Dudley, W. (Jan 31, 1994, p.B1); Norton, K. (April 12, 1994, p.A6); Somerville, L. (March 19, 1994, p.A9).


Back Contents Next