OTTAWA CUPE Manitoba President Paul Moist will tomorrow take CUPEs message on the need for proper federal equalization payments to the provinces at Ottawa hearings of the Senate Committee reviewing the funding formula which supports Canadas social safety net.
The provinces and local governments deliver roughly double the level of public services compared to the federal government, says CUPE Manitoba President Paul Moist. But instead of addressing this reality, the federal Liberals continue to shortchange Canadians with an outmoded equalization formula. Poverty in Canada is growing. If ever Canada needed a proper equalization program, its now.
Moist will present CUPEs submission to the Senate Committee on National Finance at its Hearings on Equalization tomorrow in Ottawa.
Moist says that if allowed to continue, the present equalization program and diminished federal-provincial transfers, could lead to economic induced migration of people and businesses and Canadian instability.
Without proper equalization payments, infrastructure and service delivery for social programs and public services will continue to vary greatly from province to province and gaps will worsen, Moist says. Given the federal surplus, changes are affordable. We cant afford not to, to build a stronger Canada.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canadas largest union representing more than a half-million women and men across the country. In Manitoba, CUPE represents 24,000 members in health care, education, municipalities, social services, child care, utilities, libraries and emergency services.
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For more information, contact:
Paul Moist, CUPE Manitoba President,
Cell: (204) 981-2873