A recent survey found a majority of Albertans would want the government to remove public funding of independent/private schools. As released by ThinkHQ Public Affairs, 59 per cent of respondents voted in favour of the proposed referendum question: “Should the Government of Alberta end its current practise of allocating funds to accredited private schools?” Just 26 per cent surveyed voted “no,” while 15 per cent were undecided. The results shift to 69 per cent in favour by removing the undecided vote. Pollster officials say the results point to rising challenges with “direct democracy” initiatives underway in the province, including referendum questions about Alberta independence and recall legislation against elected officials. A group called Alberta Funds Public Schools has a deadline of Feb. 11 to collect enough signatures to qualify the very question posed by ThinkHQ. ThinkHQ president Marc Henry says the results should be worrying for Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides. “If you actually put this on a ballot and the numbers come in at 70 per cent, are you actually going to withdraw the funding and potentially see a whole host of independent schools across the province close?” said Henry. Henry says the results surprised him. “To actually get 70 per cent of voters agreeing on anything today is practically a miracle.” According to the Elections Alberta website, 20 UCP MLAs are facing recall petitions, including Premier Danielle Smith from her Brooks-Medicine Hat riding. One NDP MLA also faces a recall petition. Henry says he anticipates amendments to legislation regarding referenda questions and recall petitions, as they could present more challenges for the ruling United Conservative Party. On Thursday, CTV received a statement from Nicolaides: “As Alberta’s Minister of Education, listening to the diverse views of Albertans is one of my most important responsibilities,” he said. “Education is a vital subject, and the varying opinions on how we best fund and deliver it are reflective of the passion Albertans have for ensuring our children receive the best possible start. “The views of Albertans are always welcome and helpful.” With files from Tyson Fedor
