Rally to oppose government cuts to public services and jobs – April 18, 2015

Place: Port Hastings Visitor Information Centre, 96 Hwy 4

Date: Sat. April 18, 2015

Time: 11 – 1pm

The budget announcement on April 9 was bad news for Nova Scotia. The Liberal government continued its attack on public services and jobs with the elimination of the Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism. They cut the number of Land Registry offices from 18 to five, and they are cutting court services in seven rural locations across the province. They also have plans to privatize many of our public services.

Even before the budget was released, there were devastating cuts the provincial government has made to provincial park and visitor information centre staff. This included the loss of 58 seasonal positions in seven parks across the province along with the closure of two Visitor Information Centres in Pictou and Digby. Their plan is to replace park staff with machines. They also cut 11 positions in child welfare services in Barrington and Guysborough.

The affected parks are:

• Laurie and Porters Lake provincial parks, HRM;
• Islands Provincial Park, Shelburne County
• Smileys Provincial Park, Windsor
• Boylston Provincial Park, Guysborough County
• Salsman Provincial Park, Country Harbour
• Whycocomagh Provincial Park, Whycocomagh

People in the community of Whycocomagh have organized this rally to protest the cuts to parks and VICs at the Canso Causeway, and have opened it up to all members who have been affected by government cuts to public services and jobs. We are encouraging all members to attend this rally if you are able.

If bad weather is in the forecast, please check the NSGEU website and our Facebook site to ensure the event is going ahead as planned.

For more information and for campaign information about how you can help raise your voice against cuts and privatization of public services, please visit: www.whatwillyoulose.ca.