On July 18, 2017, Premier John Horgan and his cabinet were sworn-in and are now the official new government of British Columbia. Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC President George Davison was in attendance to witness this historic moment, and had the following to say on behalf of the Federation:

“Over the past 16 years, government funding of post-secondary education has massively declined, placing an unsustainable burden on students and families across BC. On behalf of the member locals of our federation, we welcome The Honourable Melanie Mark, M.L.A., to her new role as Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. We are confident that the new government is committed to improving the lives of all British Columbians with a renewed commitment to providing better choices and opportunities in post-secondary education.”

We look forward to working with the minister on issues such as free access to Adult Basic Education and ESL, reducing student debt including the elimination of interest on student loans, support for rural colleges, and indigenization of the curriculum.

FPSE has always worked to ensure post-secondary education remains affordable and accessible and that it meets the needs of people throughout the province. We look forward to working with Premier Horgan and his government to address the challenges ahead.