Here's a quick follow-up blog to the news release the CTF recently put out on the Prairie Valley School Division.

Since, the release, it was confirmed on John Gormley's show that the Prairie Valley School division set-up the resignation-rehire series of motions to allow the Board's Education Director to draw on his pension (should he choose) and continue to work at the division for the same pay.

Following our letter to the Board Chair about the matter, the following response and documentation was received from the Chair. The correspondence between the board and its Education Director and the board and the Ministry confirm what was learned on John Gormley Live.

As two important questions remain, I then sent the letter below to Mr. Geall today.

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Dear Mr. Geall,

Thank you for your response dated June13, 2011. I appreciate the disclosure of the Board’s correspondence with both the Ministry of Education and its Education Director. We have placed the documents on our web site (www.Taxpayer.com) so that taxpayers in the Prairie Valley School Division (PVSD) can peruse them. Please feel free to link to our site.

As a follow-up, I would note that while the Freedom of Information Act allows a government body to refuse disclosure of legal opinions, it does not mean a government bodies cannot decide to release such documents to the public.

As the PVSD has indicated the transaction is legal and above board, could you please indicate why you will not release the legal advice provided to the board?

Further, the letter of approval from the Minister of Education is dated February 18, 2011. Could you please indicate why the matter was walked onto the May 11 meeting and not included in the meeting’s agenda?

Sincerely,

Colin Craig,
Prairie Director – Canadian Taxpayers Federation