News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 19, 2014
Union rallies to oppose cuts to public safety
Winnipeg, MB – The Public Service Alliance of Canada is worried community safety could be at risk after the federal government terminates a position meant to assist in the coordination of the most dangerous criminals. The community corrections liaison officer position will be terminated nationally at the end of this month in yet another reckless public service cut to balance the federal budget.
“When these positions were created, the government called the officers partners in the criminal justice system and touted a fundamental focus on public safety,” says Marianne Hladun, Regional Executive Vice-President for the PSAC Prairie Region. “Almost ten years later and it’s obvious the Conservative government’s priorities have shifted from public safety to balancing the budget at the cost of crucial public services.”
PSAC members will rally in front of Winnipeg’s Union Station (123 Main Street), where parole officers are based and a central location for government offices, beginning today at 12:00 p.m.
The termination of the community corrections liaison officer is just the latest in a series of reckless cuts by the Conservative government. Employment in the federal government has already shrunk by 36,900 people since 2012. The job cuts will total an 8 per cent reduction in the federal workforce by 2016, including a 25 per cent reduction at Veterans Affairs and a 20 per cent reduction at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada represents more than 170,000 workers in every province and territory in Canada, including over 8,000 in Manitoba. Our members work for federal government departments and agencies, Crown Corporations, universities, casinos, community services agencies, Aboriginal communities, airports, and the security sector among others.