Layla El-Azzi’s letter to Santa Claus wasn’t a wish list filled with items such as a new bike, or clothes or the latest toy even. In fact, it wasn’t a list at all. The nine-year-old girl had one simple request for Saint Nick this year – to end the dispute between Nova Scotia’s government and the province’s public school teachers.
On Saturday, the provincial government announced that public schools would be closed to students on Monday, after contract negotiations with the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, representing 9,300 educators, collapsed on Nov. 25. The government shuttered the schools to avoid union job action, which the government deemed unsafe. Teachers returned to class on Tuesday, but they have enacted work-to-rule action, which means all extracurricular activities are cancelled.
So, why is the teacher dispute the focus of a nine-year-old girl’s letter to Santa Claus? Because the Christmas concert at El-Azzi’s school in Hammond Plains, N.S. was cancelled as a result.
In her note to Kris Kringle, El-Azzi clarified that her letter wasn’t a Christmas list and that she needed his assistance.
“There has been a fight between the government and the teachers and if they don't agree on something by this weekend, our Christmas concert could be ruined,” she wrote. “All our hard work gone. I was wondering you would help them agree on something.”
Although El-Azzi hasn’t received a response from Santa Claus just yet, her mother, Jenelle Crocker, has been busy making alternate arrangements so El-Azzi’s Christmas wish comes true.
“I could almost cry right now. She’s a beautiful little girl with a beautiful soul and a kind heart,” Crocker told CTV Atlantic on Thursday. “She thinks about others and puts others before herself and I know she doesn’t like to see people fighting.”
Crocker helped secure a replacement venue for the Christmas concert next Monday, at the local community centre.
“I thought what better way to help her through this difficult time than to create a Christmas concert for all kids within Hammond Plains,” Crocker said.
The upcoming performance won’t be reserved for children at El-Azzi’s school. Crocker said any student or family member in the community who wants to perform can sign up to take part.
El-Azzi said she’s happy the show will go on. As for the teachers’ dispute with the province, she might just have to wait for some holiday handiwork from jolly ol’ Saint Nick.
“Santa, he's magical, so I was thinking maybe some Christmas spirit or some Christmas magic could come in and help,” El-Azzi said.
With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Marie Adsett
