The following letter was sent to Prime Minister Harper  expressing Local 79’s grave concerns about cuts to jobs and public services at the Federal Level.

October 19, 2011

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
Langevin Block, 80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister Harper,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79, the largest municipal public sector Union Local in Canada. I wish to express grave concerns with your government’s decision to cut jobs and public services at the federal level. These unnecessary and damaging austerity measures being implemented by your government do not reflect the fundamental Canadian values of fairness and equality of opportunity, which Canadians expect you to protect at all times.

Not only do Canadians depend on federal public services, these services are a major contributor to the security and prosperity of our families and communities. Cuts to services undermine our safety, our health and our environment. Eliminating public service jobs reduces household income and consumer spending, hurting businesses and our economy.

Across Canada, community leaders, who value public services and jobs which Canadians depend on from coast to coast to coast, know of the negative impact that these cuts will have on local economies across our country. Our members hear continually, from the communities that they provide programmes and services to, how much public services are needed and valued.

CUPE Local 79 strongly opposes these cuts and is advocating for increased investments in federal public services. You must put critical services and the viability of the long-term social safety net ahead of short-term concerns for reducing the deficit in a fragile economy. We are urging you, as the Prime Minister of Canada, to commit your government to:

• Reverse the plans to cut jobs and public services by $4-billion.

• Maintain and improve federal public services to all Canadians.

• Reverse corporate tax cuts as a cost cutting measure to reduce the deficit.

Yours truly,

Ann Dembinski

President

c.c. John Gordon, National President Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)