BIOGRAPHY
John teaches high school ELA and Social Studies at Whitemouth School. He was the Sunrise Teachers’ president for two full-time terms (2006-08).
This is his 6th year on Provincial Executive (2000-04 and 2008-10). Over the years, he has served as the chair of five standing committees:
- Equity & Social Justice (2009-10)
- Workplace Safety & Health (2003-04, 2008-09)
- Collective Bargaining (2002-03)
- Professional Development (2000-01)
- Education Finance (2000-02)
He has also represented the Society for the last seven years on the board of CCPA-Manitoba (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives), and previously chaired the ad-hoc committee on Technology (2000-02).
John has been actively involved in the Manitoba Teachers’ Society since 1995, when he joined his local bargaining team. Since that time he has been one of the central figures in his local association, negotiating 15 years worth of collective agreements for the Agassiz and Sunrise Teachers’ Associations. During that time, he has served as president (3 times) and repeatedly as the chair of many local committees including Bargaining, Education Finance, Workplace Safety and Health and Public Relations.
Prior to serving as Sunrise’s president, John taught for 19 years in Winnipeg, Grand Rapids, Montreal, Wanipigow, Pine Falls, and Beausejour (for 11 at the Agassiz Adult Education Centre). He has also taught a college course in Business English in conjunction with Red River College.
John grew up in the Wolseley neighbourhood of Winnipeg, attending Laura Secord and Gordon Bell schools, as well as the Universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba, where he received his B.A and B. Ed. degrees.
John lives just outside of Beausejour with his wife, Heather, his two children, Sarah (17) and Madeleine (7), his two dogs (Ella and Molly) and three cats (Misty, Civic and Ernie).
ELECTION STATEMENT
I would like to thank Provincial Council for electing me to work for Manitoba’s teachers for six of the last ten years. As a complement to raising a family in Beausejour and teaching in Whitemouth, working on “big picture” issues has always been my passion. It’s been my version of “think globally and act locally.”
With Manitoba’s first ever fixed election date coming in October, 2011, the next few years bring MTS the task securing a healthy relationship with government and politicians. We must take clear and public positions on our priorities and work locally to elect representatives who have the best chance of producing socio-economic conditions that benefit all Manitobans while building a strong, equitable public education system where teachers have opportunities for healthy, productive careers. As the next few years unfold, we must make our agenda the public’s agenda:
- equitable and accessible provincial financing for public schools
- acceptable and reasonable workloads for teachers
- improved pension contribution levels
- a bargaining model that eliminates wide discrepancies in rights, salaries and benefits and provides portability of important benefits such as sick days.
- partnerships within the education, labour and social justice communities on issues of mutual concern
I’ve always been governed by my philosophy: to debate honestly for what I believe, and then work actively and effectively for what we all decide, while building internal MTS communication and cohesion to work together to achieve our goals.
Please consider me for your vote at AGM. See you there!
