More than 8,000 union members and community activists marched past the Ottawa Congress Centre Saturday, October 17, delivering a resounding message to Premier Harris and delegates to the Tory policy convention: Bye Bye Mike.
Dubbing Harris “The Terminator”, National Secretary-Treasurer Geraldine McGuire said that Harris “has set out to terminate everything that we hold dear to us,” citing the cuts to health care and education, welfare benefits and services to the disabled. She also condemned the attack on equality and equity the Harris government has spearheaded.
“We’re here to tell Mike Harris that people do matter, that we want quality public services and that we want justice for all,” said McGuire.
CUPE Ontario president Sid Ryan pledged the support of Ontario members to defeat the Tories. “There is an election on the horizon and we are here in Ottawa to let Harris know that we are not going to let him destroy everything we have built up over the past 50 years.”