Yarmouth MLA Zach Churchill is Nova Scotia’s new Education Minister.
Churchill takes over the role from Karen Casey, who is now the Finance Minister and Deputy Premier.
Premier Stephen McNeil announced his new cabinet this morning in Halifax.
New cabinet of Nova Scotia pic.twitter.com/oGQpMpd3a2
— Ed Halverson (@edwardhalverson) June 15, 2017
Churchill says he’s very pleased with the appointment.
“It’s an absolute honour to be named Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. I’ll be very focused on executing on changes in the classrooms, and making sure that at the end of the day we have a stronger education system for our teachers and our students.”
Churchill admits the Liberal government had a very difficult labour contract with the province’s unionized teachers.
“It brought out division between our government and teachers. We all need to focus now on what our collective duty and responsibility is, and that’s the success of our kids and improving our classrooms. If we can all maintain our focus there, we’ll be in good shape.”
In a release, Nova Scotia Teachers Union President Liette Doucet congratulated Churchill, and says she looks forward to meeting with him in the near future.
Doucet says there are many challenges facing our education system, and is hopeful Minister Churchill will bring to the role a sense of fairness and a willingness to work with the NSTU to implement needed reforms to improve classrooms.
NSTU welcomes new Education Minister: https://t.co/812JnefDNH #nspoli
— NS Teachers Union (@NSTeachersUnion) June 15, 2017
