There seems to be an unspoken subtext to this desire to see schools re-open come hell or high water.

It's this: people need to get back to work. In particular *women* need to get back to work.

I'm sympathetic to that, so let's talk about it.
1/x

I'm going to entirely disregard the question of whether this logic relegates schools to little more than glorified childcare. Let's be honest and admit that schools serve a childcare function in our society; let's not get hung up on that point.
2/x

So without functioning schools, many people can't properly return to work. This causes personal hardship, but it also has a devastating effect on economic recovery. So, as a society, what have we done in the past when jobs and entire industries have been threatened?
3/x

Well, we propped them up, we provided stimulus, we injected millions in cash, sometimes temporarily, sometimes over extended periods of time.
4/x

We did it with the auto industry (GM & Chrysler).
We did it oh so many times with the aerospace industry (Bombardier).
We did it with agriculture.
We did it with the construction industry (we *gave* the AEC to SNC Lavalin and sweetened the deal with another $60M)
5/x

Conclusion: it's nothing new, when jobs are threatened, for governments to intervene to save them. So, if closed schools threaten so many jobs & the economy as a whole, why is it that our government is dead set against investing a single additional penny to ensure a solution?
6/x

Why are we incapable of seeing an investment in safe schools as a means of bolstering the economy and saving jobs. Let parents return to work (if that's what they want to do) but let's also give them the assurance that their kids are in a safe place.
7/x

Let's invest in our kids, in their physical welfare, in their emotional well being, and in their education.

And by doing so, let's invest in the economy, preserve jobs and build a better province.

We deserve as much.
8)x
Fin