Stephen McNeil defends 'fair package' offered to Nova Scotia teachers

Premier Stephen McNeil's Liberal Party is launching a TV and online advertising campaign next week aimed at telling Nova Scotians what the government has done for teachers.

It will include Facebook posts and some commercials are already online.

A second campaign will follow, this one paid for by taxpayers, to give the government's position in the current contract dispute with teachers, who have twice rejected tentative deals and have voted in favour of a strike mandate.

McNeil told reporters at Province House Thursday he wasn't sure how much either the party, or government, would be spending.

"I don't know. I don't have an amount, but I'll be happy to articulate all that to you when it happens," he said.

"So there's two very different scenarios here. As a party we have the ability to make a commitment to advertise. We're going to do that, but also as a government I have a responsibility to make sure I articulate what is a government policy, and there's a difference."

Cuts to health care instead?

McNeil's tone has shifted this week from asking teachers what they want to a more pointed criticism of the benefits they enjoy.

"We believe we've delivered what is a fair package," he said. "If there is more required to be on the table, people need to explain where they want us to get that. Do they want us to take it out of health care? Do they want us to take it away from vulnerable Nova Scotians?"

He also took aim at the long-service award teachers receive when they retire or which their estates get if they die while still teaching.

"It's unreasonable to believe that we should give a bonus for those who are retiring with the best benefits that people retire to in this province."

He said those are the kinds of benefits teachers can trade for other contract gains.

Parents' group supports teachers

Meanwhile, a newly formed parents group is putting its support squarely behind the teachers.

Nova Scotia Parents for Teachers was formed two weeks ago and has about 1,200 followers on Facebook.

The group held a press conference Thursday inside the Nova Scotia Legislature.

"Teachers' working conditions are our children's learning conditions," said Kate Ervin, a spokesperson for the group. "Teachers are raising some fundamental questions about our education system and its ability to ensure all students receive a quality education."

"We value public education and the government, in its mandate to balance the budget, education shouldn't be sacrificed," said group member Tina Roberts-Jeffers. "That just simply shouldn't be where the cuts come from."

The group said teachers aren't being given the proper tools to teach their children.

Union 'overwhelmed' by support

Union president Liette Doucet attended the press conference and said she was "overwhelmed" by the support. She said the union wants a salary increase that would cover the cost-of-living increase and to improve working conditions.

The average teacher salary in Nova Scotia is about $76,000 a year. The government has offered a three per cent increase over four years.

Teachers could go on strike the first week of December.