B.C. to build controversial new high school in New Westminster

The provincial government announced plans today to builda high school in New Westminster, B.C., to replace an existing one,but First Nations and Chinese Canadiangroups say they're opposed to itbeing rebuilt on a burial ground.

Parents in New Westminster have been arguing for a new secondary school for more than a decade, telling the province the only high school in the city is old, run-down and overcrowded.

"You can walk through the school and see caution signs asbestos in walls and ceilings and floors. There's mice. There's rats. There's exposed wiring. It's a huge health concern," said parent Danielle Connelly.

The existing school is also seismically unsafe, meaning it could crumble during an earthquake.

On Tuesday, the province responded to those complaints with a promise of a new, $106-million school the most expensive education investment in the history of B.C., according to the province.

The school will serve more than 2,000 students and is scheduled to open in 2019.

"As a lot of people in the area know ...this is a long time coming, but it's not a project that we wanted to rush into," said Education Minister Mike Bernier at the announcement.

Part of the reason the province has delayed getting the project going has more to do than its price tag; the school was built on top of aformercemeterywhere the remains of Chinese pioneers and First Nations leaders wereburied.

"This school was built in the wrong place in 1949, and we're going to fix that,"Berniersaid.

The province says an archeologist will make sure no historical sites are disturbed during construction, and the school board says the history of the grounds will be taught in class.

'Election goody'

The New WestminsterIndianBand and ChineseBenevolent Society of Vancouver both say theysupport the project, but other groups like the B.C. Union of Indian Chiefs and Reconciliation for Canadians say they'reopposed.

"The public needs to understand that what they're talking about is the desecration of a commissioned cemetery," said Reconciliation for Canadians spokesmanBill Chu.

"None of the descendents have been contacted, none of the stakeholder groups and there are 33 of them on this site."

Chu said the grounds were established as a formal cemetery for "people of colour" in the late19thcentury.

He criticized the project as an"election goody" that defies national conversations on reconciliation.

"In this day and age when we talk about reconciliation all the time ...the lower governments need to respect that and follow suitandanchor reconciliation in a meaningful way," he said.

Responding to accusations of electioneering, Bernierremindedthe crowd at the announcement that the school is in an NDP riding.

"We're in an area that's also needing an investment.," Berniersaid. "This is classified as a number one priority."