CUPE Quebec executives are disappointed and deplore the fact that Minister Girard’s budget has fallen short of the mark.
Given the importance of our public services, as illustrated by the pandemic and the peaks that inflation has reached in recent months, the CAQ is doing far too little for public sector workers.
“The Legault government is continually saying that it wants to bring people back to our hospitals and schools but refuses to take action—showing that it is not an employer of choice. For months, employees in the health care and education sectors have seen their purchasing power decline, so it was hoped that the government will use the today’s budget to offer solutions,” says Frédéric Brisson, the secretary general of CUPE Quebec.
The same can be said for municipalities in the province, which have been clamoring for more funding for ages.
“Our cities and towns increasingly must deal with issues that the federal and provincial governments have been avoiding, and infrastructure requirements have reached an acute stage. Unfortunately, budgets haven’t kept pace. The situation with public transit is alarming because this government has no vision. We welcome the promised investments, but it’s not enough,” says Patrick Gloutney, president of CUPE Quebec.
Instead of offering a tax cut that will not have an impact on most families in Quebec, the Legault government should have been more ambitious and solidified our public services, he added.