https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies



David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos
 #nbpoli#cdnpoli


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/norman-richardson-miramichi-school-bus-driver-shortage-1.4912689

Miramichi man blames 'stupid' rules for shortage of school bus drivers

  


David Amos















Marguerite Deschamps













Fay Briggs




 
Matt Steele

















Jim Joe Jackson














 
Ben Robinson

@Marc Martin "You didn't know that the money that SANB receives is from Heritage Canada tough... :)"

Methinks your boss knows that I knew that In fact that is one of the many reasons I have been emailing and calling contacted the Federal Minister N'esy Pas/












 
Fred Brewer





 



  
Tim Raworth











  
Eric D Wishart






 Thomas Johnson








  
David Guitard








Lou Bell


"Earlier this week, Francophone School District South said more than 100 school buses have reported significant delays this school year because of a shortage of regular and casual drivers from Dieppe all the way to the Miramichi.

Both parents and teachers are concerned that students are missing class time because of the delays.






  










 
Lou Bell











stephen blunston


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/french-immersion-francophone-school-district-asd-1.4814847

"The new arrival from Quebec had hoped to ease her unilingual francophone daughter, Hayden Thibeault, into the overwhelmingly anglophone community through the French immersion program.

The two registered for immersion at Sussex Middle School in June and were under the impression through the summer that Hayden would start classes there this fall.
Last-minute switch

But on arrival for the school's Aug. 29 open house, they were told Hayden could not attend immersion and had been registered without their knowledge in the English program.

"I thought it was a mistake, so I went to see the English teacher, asking her about it and she said, 'well, they just changed it today. And you should go see the principal.'

"She [Hayden] was devastated, she was crying. She doesn't want to go in English because she doesn't understand enough."

The child has now been registered at École Samuel-de-Champlain, in Saint John, something Boulianne had hoped to avoid so her daughter could make friends and take part in after-school activities in Sussex.
Sonia Boulianne and husband Mike Sharp. Boulianne's daughter, Hayden Thibeault, will have to travel to Saint John every day to school. (CBC)

A transportation plan has not yet been established, but Boulianne said her daughter will likely commute to the city daily by taxi, a 78-kilometre, 58-minute trip each way.














Mario Doucet



















 
Miles .P Kilomesen










Shirley Nedoborski










 
david herman










Jim Johnston

Miramichi man blames 'stupid' rules for shortage of school bus drivers

Norman Richardson knows many skilled drivers who could get students to school, but they don't have Grade 12

Norman Richardson says he can't drive a school bus in New Brunswick because he doesn't have his Grade 12 diploma, although he has plenty of experience. (Submitted by Norman Richardson)


Norman Richardson spends most of his days in the woods in Little Bartibog, outside of Miramichi. He has a licence to drive a tractor, an excavator and a tractor-trailer, but he can't drive a school bus in New Brunswick.

The 67-year-old recently heard about the shortage of school bus drivers in the province from his brother-in-law, former MLA Tanker Malley, who is a longtime bus driver in the Miramichi.


"He said, 'Oh, you should help us with the bus,' because he knew I drove tractor-trailer. He said you just got to go for a little course to make sure you know all the rules with the buses."

Richardson realized there was a problem when, shortly after that conversation, he ran into his cousin, who teaches the bus driver course.

We have a lot of educated people but they're not very smart.- Norman Richardson

"He said, 'What grade are you?' and I said, 'I went to Grade 9.''Oh,' he said, 'You've got to be Grade 12.'"

Since then, Richardson has spoken with a few other locals who were also turned down because they didn't have their Grade 12 diploma.

"I don't know who made that law," he said. "I bet they all went to university. And that's why this country is in such a turmoil now. We have a lot of educated people but they're not very smart."

Nothing to do with safety

Richardson said if you can operate a school bus safely and are comfortable transporting children, there's no reason you should be prevented from helping to get students to class.

"If it was something to do with safety, I'd say yes. But it's got nothing to do with safety."

As a karate instructor, Richardson spends time with young people and children every week and is confident he could drive a school bus on the odd day, giving regular drivers like his brother-in-law a day off when they need it.

Earlier this week, Francophone School District South said more than 100 school buses have reported significant delays this school year because of a shortage of regular and casual drivers from Dieppe all the way to the Miramichi.

Both parents and teachers are concerned that students are missing class time because of the delays.
In an email statement, Nancy Champion of the Department of Education confirmed that school bus drivers must have graduated from high school or have their GED.

She said they also must have "considerable experience" operating motor vehicles.

"They must possess good communication skills and have a demonstrated ability to successfully deal with discipline in the vehicle," Champion said.

'Almost like you're a second-class citizen'

Richardson grew up the eldest boy in a family of 14 children, and when he finished Grade 9, he left school to help his father in the woods.

I did all that for other people and now they criticize you because you didn't go to school. It's not because I didn't want to.- Norman Richardson

"I loved school but my father said, 'You got to help me try to put the rest of them to school, eh? And the rest of them ... they went to university."

Richardson worked with his father cutting wood and said his siblings went on to become doctors, lawyers, and engineers.

"When you get to my age, it's almost like you're a second-class citizen in New Brunswick. Because you didn't go to grade 12," he said.

He has continued to make his living as a contractor, working in the woods, and all of his children also graduated from university.

"You're kind of punished when you think about it. I did all that for other people and now they criticize you because you didn't go to school. It's not because I didn't want to."

Richardson said whoever is in charge of hiring school bus drivers in New Brunswick should take another look at the qualifications.

"I just thought it was kind of stupid. Just because you didn't go to Grade 12 that you couldn't drive a school bus. I'm not going to go back to school to try to get Grade 12 to try to be a spare bus driver — that doesn't make sense either."