Council of Canadians responds to the federal budget - 2013

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Council of Canadians responds to the federal budget

http://canadians.org/media/other/2013/21-Mar-13.html

For Immediate Release March 21, 2013

In response to the federal budget, representatives of the Council of Canadians made the following comments:

“This budget fails Canadians. It continues a privatization agenda for water, a trade agenda that doesn't equate to job growth, a health care agenda that will cut billions of needed dollars, and a resource extraction agenda that ignores the environment.” – Brent Patterson, Political Director, Council of Canadians

“We're disappointed by the lack of adequate funding to address water issues across the country and it should be highly controversial that there is nothing in this budget for the Experimental Lakes Area. In the midst of the Idle No More protests in January, the Conservative government had pledged to address water and wastewater issues on First Nation reserves but with only $155 million allocated for all on-reserve infrastructure over ten years, their promise is ringing hollow. We are alarmed about the $33 million to be cut from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and how this will impact Canadian and indigenous communities which are facing threats pollution from fracking, tar sandsdevelopment, mining and other industrial projects.” – Emma Lui, Water Campaigner, Council of Canadians

“Finance Minister Flaherty says his government is spending more on health care than any government before. His government was mandated by the previous Liberal government through the 2004 Health Accord to continue that funding. Yet, they will cut it by $36 billion if re-elected in 2015. Additionally, on this international day against racial discrimination I believe it’s important to point out that despite huge public outcry this budget did not reinstate any of the callous cuts to health care for refugees.” – Adrienne Silnicki, Health Care Campaigner, Council of Canadians

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For further information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians, 613-795-8685,
dpenner@canadians.org. Twitter: @CouncilOfCDNs