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Fredericton, October 3, 2003 The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is appalled by the Governments hidden agenda to privatize public services. Where were those plans during the June elections? asked David Rouse, President of CUPE NB.

The Lord Government was not honest with the public. This review of more than six hundred programs was in the air for sometime but the government chose to hide it from the public in order to get re-elected said Rouse.

The minister of finance is talking of not having enough money. This is a result of their own policy. In the last three budgets this government has introduced tax cuts. For the budget of 2003-2004, this will translate into lost revenue of $211.7 million for the Province. Tax cuts will result in loss of jobs and services. They never explained that to citizens when they were running in the last two elections.

The New Brunswick Government is following the same path as the Ontario Tory Government, and see what happened there.

Finance Minister Jeannot Volpé wants to find ways to cut money and he is looking at the private sector to do so. How can he think that privatization of the Bus Driver and the Janitor jobs in the schools will save money? The New Brunswick Bus Drivers have the safest bus driving record in the country and this is how the government wants to thank them by contracting out their services.

The Minister only admitted to his plans after a reporter asked him what was the Resources Maximization Committee? How long did the government intend to hide its plans from the people of New Brunswick? asked David Rouse.

We all know that privatization means less services for the public; contracting out means more profits for the private companies and loss of control of the quality of the services offered said Rouse.

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For more information:

David Rouse, President CUPE NB
(506) 432-0618

Danielle Savoie, CUPE Communications
(506) 381-1966