FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2001
Conservatives ignoring lesson of Walkerton and Sept. 11: Reinvest don’t cut
Today’s economic statement shows the Conservatives have failed to learn any lessons from Walkerton, says Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) President Leah Casselman.
“Any talk of cuts at this stage, when we should be reinvesting in basic public services, is a sign that the Finance Minister has lost touch with reality, ” said Casselman. “That’s the reality of Walkerton, of Sept. 11, of the West Nile Virus, and of other threats to our security and our way of life. We have no choice but to rebuild
public services to protect public health and safety and the public interest.”
Casselman said the real crisis is in our public services, which have been systematically dismantled by the Conservatives to the point where we cannot adequately respond to biohazards and other dangers. The Conservative government, for instance, has fired all but eight of the 150 full time provincial meat inspectors and all of the
fruit and vegetable inspectors. The United States is now considering hiring hundreds of food inspectors.
If the government needs to save money now, it is because they have mismanaged the finances during good times. “Why not just stop the costly round of privatizations, deregulations, contracting out and divestments?” Casselman asked. “The government has spent more than $100 million in severance payments alone to people who are still
providing the same service. They have pledged $300 million to fund private schools. They should stop this kind of waste.”
OPSEU called for the government to stop playing ideological games and start making the essential reinvestments in public services. The United States and Quebec have begun to address the shortfall by investing in public services. “It’s time the Ontario government got the message that we are in danger if we do not make these
essential investments now,” Casselman said.
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For more information, contact:
David Cox, OPSEU Communications : 416-443-8888 x 314; 416-788-9197
