I was away from my machine and my Internet account for approximately 25 hours last weekend.
This (below) is what happens when I go away for approximately 25 hours.
Over 600 e-mail.
When you e-mail me and I apologize for the delay in replying, this is why.
gs
Yesterday, the federal government announced a series of spending cuts impacting on many organizations across Canada and the people they serve. Click on the Treasury Board link below for a detailed list of the specific cuts.
Here are the biggest losers in the social envelope:
[NOTE: Cuts/savings shown below are for a two-year period]
Status of Women – “Administrative Savings”:
$5 million
Elimination of Health Canada’s Policy Research Program:
$7.5 million
“Health Portfolio†(??) efficiencies:
$28 million
Social Development Partnerships (HRSDC):
$13.8 million
“Efficiencies” in the administration of CMHC programs:
$45 million
Elimination of Funding for Canadian Policy Research Networks:
$3 million
Elimination of Funding for the Law Commission of Canada:
$4.1 million
Elimination of Court Challenges Program:
$5.6 million
These “lowlights” were prepared by Pedro Barata – merci, Pedro! For details on *all* cuts, click the Teasury Board link below.
*****
To everyone in the organizations and programs that are now forced to reassess their future:
I know that I speak for everyone in the social justice community in offering you our support in this dark hour for you…
*****
Here’s a catchy quote with a familiar ring for many of us:
“Canadians want to know their hard-earned tax dollars are invested responsibly in effective programs that meet their priorities.”
Source:
Treasury Board Secretariat Backgrounder on Effective Spending
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/media/nr-cp/2006/0925_e.asp
Just change the word “Canadians” to “Ontarians” in the above quote, and one would think that we’re back in the mid-1990s with the likes of Mike Harris and his Common Sense Revolution. Hey, wait — the two federal Ministers who announced the round of cuts are John Baird (Treasury Board) and Jim Flaherty (Finance), both former Ontario Ministers with the Harris government. Same as it ever was…
TIP: The key expression in the above quote is “hard-earned tax dollars”. When I first read this, I immediately remembered the Ontario Tories of Mike Harris and their mantras, which included, among others, references to “hard-working men and women” and “hard-earned income” and “hand up, not a handout”.
Gilles’ rule # 63: the words “hard-working” (people), “hard-earned” (money) and “hand-up” automatically characterize a text as conservative propaganda.