REGINA - News that the Hoopla provincial basketball tournament has indeed been cancelled got the expected reaction from those attending Budget Day at the Legislature.
Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill confirmed that was what he was hearing.
“They’ve threatened to cancel Hoopla, now they have cancelled Hoopla,” said Cockrill.
He told reporters that STF members should “contact their union leadership. They need to get them back to the bargaining table. It’s Hoopla this week, but it’s graduation next month.”
“And again, the decision by STF leadership to target specific dates which affect activities, those are significant decisions that have real affects on kids and families. I don’t think that’s right to be using students as bargaining chips in this whole issue. If this is about the kids the adults need to be at the bargaining table and I would encourage those members to contact their leadership, get back to the bargaining table.”
STF President Samantha Becotte confirmed that she had heard Hoopla had been cancelled.
However, she did say “it’s my understanding that there’s a truncated provincial playdown that’s going to happen on Saturday. We have been talking with SHSAA leadership over the course of the week to ensure that whatever their plan ends up being, as they’re a third-party organization that does have a lot of teachers as their membership, but ensuring that whatever decision they have at the end of the day remains in line with the sanctions as they have been supportive of the sanctions we have taken.”
The indication is the truncated tournament would happen in Moose Jaw, the site of this year’s Hoopla. When asked about that development Cockrill said he hoped that would come about.
“Certainly if there is an opportunity to ensure that kids have the opportunity to play basketball this weekend, I hope the STF and SHSAA take that opportunity to make it happen.”
