Province’s cuts are appalling

By Letter to the Editor on April 17, 2020.

Dear Mr. Neudorf (cc: Ms. Phillips),

I am writing to protest the absolutely appalling cuts made to our education and health sectors in what is the largest world crisis in our lifetime. Cuts totalling the loss of many thousands of jobs, at a time when already the private sector is dealing with overwhelming unemployment and distress. Quiet press releases on Saturdays and in the wee hours to try to cover up what you have to know will be unpopular decisions – though “decisions” gives far too much credit to the process.

How could your government even dream of cutting health care at a time like this? Downloading educators’ unemployment costs to the federal government when they already have enough claims to deal with from the entertainment, retail and service industries? Setting up private health-care apps – not to mention their conflict of interest – during a pandemic? It is shocking and outrageous. You may have even thought your pipeline announcement would provide some salve, but the paltry jobs created compared to those cuts are a slap in the face. It’s to the point that we are terrified of the antics that your government will bring each day, up to now a fear reserved for our neighbours to the south. But Kenney et al is becoming a laughingstock for the world much like Trump et al have been entertaining us for the past years.

I write you, and not my own MLA for Lethbridge-West, because I know she and her party would never dream of doing harm such as this. Instead, they know that a time of crisis and upheaval is a time to care about your constituents, not fire them. Unbelievably heartless, cruel, cowardly and asinine. I am only sorry that enough Albertans fell for your stupidity to elect you all in the first place.

Shame on you and the others in your government for supporting such a travesty. I and so many others are looking for a way out of this embarrassment of a province before it sinks.

Nicole Eva

Lethbridge