lawbreakers!

my friend richard wrote this letter – the point about who the real lawbreakers are here being pretty obvious.

“We can disagree on the laws that are passed, and we often do, but the foundation of our society is that once a law is passed, that we agree to obey it. We do not get to obey the laws that we like and disobey the laws that we don’t like, and that is the central issue here.”
Gordon Campbell October 17th, 2005.

Dear Mr. Campbell,

I find it appalling that your Government so flipantly states that teachers should abide the law, when your Government continues to flaunt the law. The Supreme Court of BC found your Government broke the law with regards to class size limits on February 18th, 2005 with Justice Shaw presiding.

Your Government-appointed Arbitrator, Eric Rice’s “closed eyed” stripping of our collective agreement was also ruled against the law by the BC Supreme Court on January 22, 2004. The Judge presiding cited, such, “fundamental errors of law” as to make the whole bargaining
process a sham.

Your Government has such high esteem for the law that you choose to disregard International law. “The ILO ruled that the BC Liberal law declaring education an “essential service” should be repealed. The ruling also called on the government to open talks with the BCTF to negotiate an agreement and to refrain from imposing settlements in the future.”

Futhermore, on a more personal note Mr. Campbell, you have such personal high esteem for the law that you drove drunk and were convicted of a criminal offence on January 10th, 2003 in Hawaii. “Anyone who drives while impaired to the level he was should be ashamed and embarrassed and afraid.” District Judgel Reinette Cooper.

My Campbell, I ask your Government to do the just thing and repeal Bill 12, open meaningful and productive negotiations with the BCTF and start abiding the law.

Yours,
Richard Biel