Re: Major provincial funding cuts to the community access/day programs under PDD (Persons with Developmental Disabilities)
The provincial Conservative government claimed that they were going to hold an information forum on April 15 to discuss the massive $42-million cut (more than 40 per cent) to the community access/day programs.
Not only have the Conservatives failed abysmally in their presentation by not describing the follow through, thus keeping people in a zone of unknown fear, but they have already proved their unethical and misguided management by slashing and hacking major funds that dependent people rely on in various ways.
As a backgrounder, this very program is a major fund source that allows people with various disabilities to participate in daily community programs. This will affect day programs across the entire province; oddly enough when they simultaneously think it’s OK to entirely close Michener Centre in Red Deer.
Our most threatening provincial institution happens to be the government; they need to be cut.
It’s a real cheap shot for a government with the reins of power to go after a dependent sector of society least able to defend itself; so unlike the power and influence that their corporate friends and lobbying professionals regularly exhibit and protect their interests with.
To strike a 40 per cent cut at the ground level of society that needs it the most sucks to the core.
Everyone remembers Clark Griswold’s (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) rant about getting shafted out of his Christmas bonus by a greedy, cost cutting boss. Cheap and heartless were at least two of the adjectives that have common ground.
If we don’t act on it, these cuts will have profound consequences. Soon, we’ll need a World Vision catalogue to create sponsorship of clients within the borders of Alberta.
Kevin Niemi
Trochu