Have your say on the budget
Sign up for town hall meetings NOW
OPSEU is urging all members to register to attend government-sponsored “town hall” meetings aimed at getting citizen input into the 2004-05 Ontario budget.
The evening meetings are slated for eight Ontario cities between Feb. 9 and March 11.
“OPSEU members cannot afford not to attend these meetings,” said OPSEU president Leah Casselman. “These meetings are an important part of the new Liberal government’s public relations strategy. If they see the wind blowing in favour of rebuilding public services, they will have a very tough time selling the idea of more cuts.
“On the other hand, I have no doubt that many disgruntled Tories will be there to call for more tax breaks and more cuts to public services,” Casselman said. “We can’t let these backward thinkers have the stage to themselves.”
Casselman outlined a plan plan to rebuild public services when she spoke to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Jan. 28.
“Ontario has a revenue problem, not an expense problem,” she told the committee. “If we have to restore tax levels to rebuild our public services, then we should do it.
“It is idiotic to deepen the public service crisis when the problem lies on the revenue side.”
Most of the town hall meetings will take place in the evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Meetings are scheduled as follows:
- Kingston Feb. 9
- Thunder Bay Feb. 10
- London Feb 17
- Etobicoke Feb. 24
- Hamilton Feb. 25
- Kitchener-Waterloo March 2
- Strathroy March 4
- Ottawa March 11
You must register to participate. Call 1-866-608-4824 to get your name on the list (TTY: 1-800-268-7095).
There will only be 100 participants selected per city, on a first-come, first-served basis, according to staff at the call centre.
“Pick up the phone right now,” Casselman advised. “If you wait, it may be too late.”
The government has set up a one-page web site at http://www.townhallontario.gov.on.ca to provide information on the process.
CALL NOW TO SIGN UP!
1-866-608-4824
Original authorized for distribution: Leah Casselman, OPSEU President
OPSEU ActionFax is an electronic publication of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. Original authorized for distribution by Leah Casselman, president.
