Kenney's budget will do more harm than good
EDMONTON, Oct. 24, 2019 /CNW/ - Premier Jason Kenney's cuts to provincial services are totally unwarranted and will only deepen the issues with Alberta's economy, says Unifor.
"Austerity has been widely discredited but that won't stop Jason Kenney from his old habits," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "He cannot cut his way to prosperity."
Unifor says that dramatic spending cuts are unlikely to resolve the deficit and, in fact, could make things much worse. In many countries around the world, including Greece, experiments with austerity have made matters worse by suffocating the economy.
Unifor calculates that, with rebounding energy prices and a strengthening economy, Alberta's deficit could be eliminated over time through organic growth.
"This budget is not about balancing the books?that could happen in time without Jason Kenney. This budget is an ideological exercise in cutting the services and wages families depend on," said Dias.
Unifor was also critical of the reduction in the corporate tax rate, from 12 per cent to 8 per cent over four years. Costing billions in lost revenue, Unifor says that the corporate tax cuts are the wrong decision at a time when services that families rely on are being cut.
"Alberta families will pay the price for corporate tax giveaways," said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. "At every opportunity, Jason Kenney will side with wealthy business owners over the workers and families that should be the focus of improving Alberta's standard of living."
"It's this loyalty to the one per cent that drives Kenney's looming attack on workers' unions and safe workplaces," added McGarrigle.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor
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