Sask. high school worries band trip to NYC will be cancelled amid teacher job action
High school students in North Battleford are worried their trip to New York City could get cancelled, as teachers continue to withdraw from extracurricular activities.
North Battleford Comprehensive High School Concert Band is scheduled to leave for New York City on March 14.
The students are set to tour the city and perform at various venues during the five-day trip.
Dominique Mannix's 15-year-old daughter is one of the 29 students booked on the trip.
"Hopefully it's going to go ahead, but we're also being a little bit realistic and realizing that there's a good chance that they may not be able to go next week," Mannix said.
"They're disappointed, they're worried. They obviously have planned and worked really hard on being able to go on this trip and they're super excited to go."
Mannix said some of the students' fundraising efforts have been cancelled as a result of teacher job action.
"We don't want to be taking these actions, but unfortunately, we have no other choice," Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) President Samantha Becotte told CTV News.
Saskatchewan Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill disagreed.
"The job sanctions that the STF chooses to make, that's the STF's decision on what, where and when those jobs sanctions are," Cockrill said.
"I would urge the STF leadership to spend less time pulling extracurricular and spend more time at the bargaining table."
The STF said the government has refused to include language around class sizes and support for kids with complex needs in teacher contracts.
"Government to this point in time has not provided their bargaining team with the authority to engage in conversations. It has only been 'take it' or 'leave it' offers — and that isn't true, good faith negotiations," Becotte said.
Mannix is hopeful a deal can be reached before the trip.
"Some of these kids, especially the ones in grade 12, they probably won't get another opportunity to go," Mannix said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial has fined him US$1,000 for violating his gag order and sternly warned the former president that additional violation could result in jail time.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
WestJet, mechanics union agree to tentative deal to avoid strike
A potential strike between WestJet and its mechanics union appears to have been avoided.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.