FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 27, 1998

EDMONTON -- The Alberta government's Speech from the Throne was extremely misleading on the subject of re-investment in core public services like health care and education, says Audrey Cormack, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"Obviously, the government wants Albertans to believe that the damage caused by four years for brutal cuts is being fixed," said Cormack after the Speech was delivered this afternoon at the Legislature.

"But the truth is that the funding increases announced over the past few weeks and repeated in today's Throne Speech barely keep up with inflation and population growth. As a result, the situation for things like health care and education may not get any worse -- but it's certainly not going to get any better."

Cormack admits that the funding increases mentioned in the Throne Speech -- $100 million for health care, $380 million for education, $95 million for advanced education and $260 million for infrastructure project -- sound like a lot of money. But she says the real value of those funds will be eroded by inflation, population growth and rising enrollment in Alberta schools, colleges and universities.

"As it stands right now, we spend less per capita on health care than any other province in Canada -- including places like Newfoundland," says Cormack. "Even with the new funding that has been promised for health care, we'll still be at or near the bottom of the pile. Albertans deserve better."

Cormack also said she was very disappointed that the Throne Speech didn't properly address the issue of pay increases for public sector workers.

"These are the people that kept our public services working in spite of all the budget cuts. Yet, most public sector workers here in Alberta haven't had a raise in five or more years. You can't expect people to keep working harder for less indefinitely. The government should have promised to specifically earmark money for pay increases for public-sector workers."

In addition to her concerns about funding for public services and wages for public-sector workers, Cormack also criticized the Throne Speech for failing to provide Albertans with an accurate picture of the Alberta economy as we begin 1998.

"The Speech focused on the positives. And it's true that more people are working; that more business people are investing; and that, in general consumer confidence is improving," she said.

"But the Speech ignored some extremely important trends in the economy -- like the fact that wages have continued to stagnate despite the current economic boom; that the minimum wage is still the lowest in the country; that youth unemployment is still double the rate for adults and that many people are still stuck in precarious part-time or temporary jobs. The government hasn't been talking about these issues -- but they should."

For more information call:
Audrey Cormack, President at 483-39021 or
Gil McGowan, Director of Communications at 483-3021