MANITOBA TORY ATTACK ON EDUCATION
Local organization holds parade to protest Bill 64



Devon McKendrick

Digital Editorial Producer
Published Sunday, August 15, 2021 



WINNIPEG -- A local organization used the power of music Saturday night to protest against the provincial government's proposed Bill 64.

The bill, if passed, would eliminate all school divisions and elected school boards, replacing them with a provincial authority.

The community group Protect ED MB partnered with music teachers and members of local marching bands Saturday to fight the bill.


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The organization feels the bill is regressive.

"Teachers are exhausted, and this is kind of like the worst to kind of introduce legislation like that. It just will bring chaos in our education system when teachers really need to recover and students need to recover," said Jason Pinkney, an organizer with Protect ED MB.

The group went door-to-door in the Wolseley neighbourhood performing music while handing out information on the bill.

"This bill is not necessarily in the best interest of all of us," said Stephen Oberheu, a teacher in the province. "This bill is in the best interest of a few controlled things. They want things like appointed school boards instead of elected school boards, which takes power out of the hands of communities that are supposed to be served."

The province has previously stated to CTV News that the new bill will improve education and parental input and said it is listening to Manitobans through a variety of engagement and consultations.