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Premier can find the money in his government

It’s disturbing, loathsome and downright bullying. Little wonder Ed Stelmach wanted to hide when his budget came down. We see no offer for low rental housing even though 46 died on the streets in 1990.

It’s disturbing, loathsome and downright bullying. Little wonder Ed Stelmach wanted to hide when his budget came down.

We see no offer for low rental housing even though 46 died on the streets in 1990. Stelmach and his gang had no qualms in slashing care for those most desperately in need — better now than later at election time.

Community Support Minister Mary Anne Jablonski stated that the Disabled Program had been set to receive a $33 million boost in funding, but with the Stelmach deficit at $4.3 billion, that amount would be reduced to $22 million. Organizations affected reported that 92,000 people who received care would suffer. One woman spoke out to express concern about the care for her son, a quadriplegic with severe cerebral palsy, who was unable to speak properly.

Jablonski was unable to attend a rally when l,300 people came out on a cold wintry night dragging bags of bottles and messages for the premier. She did relent a little and said, “I am not forcing them to make the cut. I am asking them to help find the savings.” Does this mean the cuts are voluntary?

Stelmach and company are thoroughly convinced that those living on Alberta Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) have no difficulty living on a stipend of $995 per month. Perhaps in these hard times, they may want to try it.

If Stelmach wanted to try to preserve the Tory’s 39-year dynasty and win the election, how effective it would have been had he had offered to set an example for fiscal responsibility by coming up with an offer to trim his salary and the salaries of his entire staff. Who has forgotten that Stelmach’s first act after being elected was to raise his own salary by 30 per cent, making him the highest paid premier in Canada. His salary as premier for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009 was $224,575.

Then the next undertaking might be to pare down the civil servants pay to where the non-civil servants pay is at, which would mean a cut from approximately $75,0000 to $45,000.

Will we see it all happen?

Audrey Jensen, Red Deer

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