Regina Public has eliminated 61 education assistant positions since 2007, making it Saskatchewan’s top cutter of frontline staff positions. Meanwhile, Saskatoon Public added 31 new positions this year, restoring most of the positions they had cut earlier. CUPE, the union representing education assistants, points out in a fact sheet that the demand for support services (special needs services) has been rising dramatically province-wide, while staff positions are falling. A provincial plan encourages school boards to replace frontline on-site ‘non-professional’ staff with floating ‘professional’ consultants. Education Assistants: The Facts