Don’t cut health care, child care

By Letter to the Editor on April 8, 2020.

A brief note on the state of Alberta politics, if I may.

The premier has said he’s heard and listened to the Alberta electorate but it’s apparent that he’s either had wax in his ears or heard only what Mr. Kenney wants to hear.

As bright as you may think you are, Mr. Kenney, don’t start on hospitals or child care because as a single, you have no idea as to the expense and hardships in child rearing.

A close look at hospitals would show a lack of funding and staffing and overworked but very professional nurses.

Why can’t you negotiate a long-term contract with a built-in escalation clause? This would be prudent and courteous to such a loyal staff and create an atmosphere of co-operation as a team rather than you versus them.

Your abrasive negotiating and cutbacks has led to a militant work group and if nurses strike en masse, you wouldn’t be able to walk any street in Alberta.

A close look at hospitals would show a severe lack of maintenance due to lack of funding and cutbacks. Broken wheelchairs, doorways as bruised as UCP philosophy, light fixtures with plastic straps for on/off switches, overcrowded hallways full of medical appliances and equipment, and most notable, overworked RNs and aides dealing with abusive drug addicts and alcoholics, leading to increased presence of law enforcement officers 24/7.

Only a rocket scientist could come up with a plan to cut back on families’ two- to five-year-old kids with health issues.

If your top aide can expense “70 pitchers of orange juice” while on a government business junket, then surely we can deal fairly with nurses and teachers. These are the people entrusted to look after our aging population and our future, the children of our citizens.

You’ll never be prime minister, or premier again of a province that once was progressive and full of potential. It’s more than time that the citizens of this province invoke recall. It took years to amass our debt and you’re trying to pay it off in half the time is admirable. It makes total economic sense to pay it off as expediently as possible but please be kind in your approach. This is an issue for federal jurisdiction as well.

Chet Mook

Lethbridge