Thank very much, President Henderson. I certainly appreciate the invitation to join you this morning, and the invitation to join you last night. I appreciated the opportunity to meet with so many of you and to have a chance to talk frankly about what's important to us in education. It is a pleasure to be here with you today with my Parliamentary Assistant, the member for Edmonton-Decore, Janice Sarich. If you have any tough...

Mr. Chase: Mr. Speaker, funding cutbacks are causing boards to eliminate segregated programs for special-needs students. This government's flawed school closure process has targeted a school for complex learners in Calgary-Varsity. With concerns growing, the government can only gesture to a review of special education two years in the making. Parents, students, teachers, and staff need answers now. To the minister: what does the minister have to say to parents concerned that special-needs students...

Dr. Swann: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. This government constantly boasts about how much better off Alberta is in weathering the recession while refusing to honour teacher contracts, repair aging schools, or adequately support special-needs education. To the Minister of Education: if this government isn't willing to carry out its educational obligations such as bargaining in good faith with our teachers, will you at least provide greater autonomy to locally elected schools boards...

Mr. Bhardwaj: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. After engaging over 7,000 Albertans, the Setting the Direction for Special Education final report was submitted to the minister over 10 months ago, yet we still have not heard any response from the government. To the Minister of Education: is the delay in the government response an indication that you're backing away from a commitment to a truly supportive and inclusive education system that Albertans obviously...

Ms Woo-Paw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Statistics Canada is projecting rapid changes to our population over the next 20 years. Major growth areas would include the aboriginal population, and it's projected that about one-third of Canada's population would be a visible minority. Learning about effective integration and develop­ment of inclusive communities speaks to the need for two-way integration. My question is to the Minister of Education. You have initiated the Inspiring Education visioning process,...

The Calgary Herald recently published an article misleadingly titled "Calgary-area school bids to save cafeteria" that goes well beyond the challenges of operating a rural high school to discuss several other current concerns about education in Alberta. The article also covers concerns about what the spring budget will mean for education (read more here), the Stop the Cuts campaign (read more here), Inspiring Education and Setting the Direction, a potential school closure (which is the...

Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the government considering massive cuts, stakeholder groups have been speaking out for public education, only to receive a scolding by the Minister of Education. But teachers, school trustees, and parents are not to blame. They're not to blame for creating a climate of fear around education. The actions of the minister are creating a climate of fear. To the Premier. School boards and trustees are fighting for...

I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to write me about how you value education. I have always encouraged thoughtful advocacy for education and have no desire to ever discourage it, especially at this critical time. Indeed, over the past year, we have had several broad public discussions about the value and future of education (including Inspiring Education, Setting the Direction for Special Education, and Speak Out Alberta). We've...

This morning Minister Hancock spoke at the Fall General Meeting of the Alberta School Boards' Association. His remarks follow below (check against delivery). Thank you very much, Heather, and thank you for the invitation to speak with you again....

Mr. Fawcett: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today the Minister of Education announced a number of ways in which citizens of this province can participate in Inspiring Education: A Dialogue with Albertans. In addition to daylong sessions around the province, Albertans can also join the conversation online or use conversation kits to host a discussion in their own community. My question is to the Minister of Education. What is he doing to ensure that disadvantaged...

Alberta Education is presently undertaking a consultation called Setting the Direction for Special Education in Alberta. This project is examining and re-thinking how supports are currently provided to students with special needs. Today's Edmonton Journal has an article about Setting the Direction that outlines where the initiative is taking special education in Alberta. As Minister Hancock notes in the article, "We don't want kids falling through the cracks. At the end of the day, I...