EDMONTON —Despite the toll the pandemic has taken on Albertans, their livelihoods, and the public services they need more than ever, the UCP cut more funding from multiple ministries than Budget 2020 anticipated. Other public service funding is still falling short of what Albertans need.
AUPE President Guy Smith was available for comment on the provincial government’s 2020-21 fiscal update at the legislature this afternoon (2-3 pm), where he stood in solidarity with parents, teachers, kids and all K-12 school workers at the Hold My Hand Alberta rally.
“Funding for community and social services dropped by $1 million, education by $132 million, agriculture and forestry by $6 million,” says Smith.
"Premier Kenney’s one-time only recovery-plan boosts are nothing compared to massive operating cuts in the middle of a pandemic. The UCP never planned on truly investing in this province, and the pandemic hasn’t changed that. Kenney and his cabinet are breadcrumbing Albertans and setting us off on a race to-the bottom. Well working people aren’t going to be running in that race.”
Smith adds that the UCP’s pandemic stimulus plan needs to be made permanent.
"AUPE members are calling on the Premier to restore the funding cuts he's already made and make the recovery boosts permanent on top of that."
Since the UCP have came into power and introduced their so-called job-creation tax cuts, 185,900 jobs have been lost (between July 2019 to July 2020).
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For more information:
Mimi Williams, communications 780-240-3562