EDITORIAL – After parties agree on cellphones, maybe Yellowhead is next

BEING A MEMBER of the Opposition must be frustrating these days. Just when you come up with a good idea, the NDP government takes it from you.

There was, for example, BC United’s push for legislation expanding public areas where consumption of illicit drugs is prohibited. After weeks of being hammered by the Opposition over the issue, Premier David Eby finally gave them exactly what they were asking for.

The government is even appealing a court ruling against the ban. A major point of difference in policy between government and opposition is gone, robbing the opposition of something to criticize.

All that took months to play out, but another issue — cellphones in schools — has been extinguished quickly. BC United leader Kevin Falcon barely had time to unveil his party’s concerns about the use of cellphones in classrooms, and to promise it would ban the practice if elected, before Eby came out with a ban of his own.

See also: EDITORIAL – Banning cellphones from schools sounds like a darn good idea

According to Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh, “Having cellphones in the classroom can be a distraction from the kind of focused learning we want kids to experience at school.”

Just like that, poof, there goes another BC United election plank. Of course, Falcon can profess to be very pleased that the Eby government is adopting his suggestion so quickly but, in truth, nobody will remember who came up with the idea first.

Nevertheless, both BC United and the NDP are correct in principal. Cellphones in classrooms are indeed a distraction and should be left at home or in the locker. If a teacher can demonstrate that using cellphones for a specific project in class is worthwhile, then make an exception.

I can’t wait to hear what the NDP has to say about the Milobar-Stone proposal to curb the death toll on the Yellowhead Highway by investing millions in infrastructure and enforcement.

If both parties agreed on that one, something might get done.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.