At the recent public meeting held to raise concerns about the Revenue Canada Agency office closure, a petition with more than 1,500 names was presented to MP Ryan Leef. And despite the many voices raised in objection, the businesses, community groups and members of the public left empty-handed except for an incredibly bizarre suggestion by Mr. Leef to have his office provide needed services.
What’s next? Will MPs offices be in charge of coast guard and border protection? Or perhaps Mr. Leef could dispatch his staff to Dredge No. 4 to provide the needed tours?
This newest closure of our local CRA office is just the beginning of the Harper plan (so vigorously defended by Mr. Leef) to undermine just about everything with the word “public” in it.
So far, across the North, there have been 124 cuts to public services, 40 of which are in the Yukon. In our territory, these cuts encompass Natural Resources, Canadian Northern Development Agency, Parks Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, Aboriginal Affairs, Human Resources and Skills Development and Transport Canada.
Just last week, the Conservatives officially released their newest numbers that revealed 10,890 public sector jobs have been slashed since March. That is in addition to the 19,000 they cut previously.
This is much more than job loss; indeed, it represents one of the most massive shifts in public policy that Canadians have experienced. Mr. Leef, though, has never uttered a peep of protest over our lost public services.
His ongoing failure to represent Yukoners is unacceptable. I would suggest that all progressive people and organizations turn up the heat as much as possible to hold him accountable. I would also suggest we begin to organize now to ensure we elect an accountable and responsible government.
Julie Docherty,
Regional Executive Vice-President
Public Service Alliance of Canada North