Opposition policy would result in fewer teachers, says Minister

Education Minister Gerry Reid is questioning comments attributed to the Official Opposition Finance critic, Loyola Sullivan, on television last night. Minister Reid is particularly concerned with Mr. Sullivan�s articulation of the Opposition�s plan of deficit reduction by not replacing retiring public servants. The Opposition position could mean hundreds fewer teaching positions, Minister Reid said.

"This idea that public servants would not be replaced once they are retired is of concern to me, particularly as Minister of Education," said Minister Reid. "It would seem that Mr. Sullivan is saying that a government he is part of would not have filled more than 400 positions vacated by retiring teachers this year."

Minister Reid went on to say, "The present government�s record speaks for itself. In addition to filling the 400 retiring teacher positions, we left an additional 218 in the system that would have been removed under the Sparkes/Williams formula."

Minister Reid is also concerned about not replacing retiring public servants outside the educational system. He stated that he has a particular responsibility to the educational system as the Minister of Education, but that government also has a responsibility for areas such as health care, social services and other public services such as road clearing and water quality monitoring.

"The comments attributed to the Opposition Finance critic, who is the official spokesperson for the Opposition on financial matters, concern me because he does not lay out a plan for where the non-replacement of public employees will stop. Does this mean that nurses who retire won�t be replaced? Or does it mean that the positions of public servants who work on water systems across the province won�t be filled after a retirement? If this is the case, Mr. Sullivan is, in essence, saying that these people aren�t necessary now. What is even more frightening, is that these comments echo those attributed to his colleague, Mr. Ottenheimer, in a speech in western Newfoundland earlier this year when he spoke of trimming the fat in the public service."

Minister Reid added that he has always supported government�s past decisions to keep additional teachers in the school system beyond the numbers allowed under the teacher allocation formula.

Media contact: Nora Daly, Communications, (709) 729-1906

2003 09 11                                         4:35 p.m.