An open letter in response to 2017 Saskatchewan budget cuts, to Estevan MLA Lori Carr, Premier Brad Wall and by extension the Saskatchewan Party:
I am writing you to express my concerns in regards to the recent budget cuts to library services in Saskatchewan, particularly how those cuts will affect many rural communities.
I know firsthand the importance of library services in the community, and the recent 2017 budget cuts are nothing less than devastating. Libraries are pillars of the community; we serve young families, people searching for work and newcomers to Canada.
We offer access to free resources including, books, DVDs, video games, the Internet and more, and we also provide quality programs and events otherwise unavailable in the community.
I cannot begin to express how deeply concerned I am that the Saskatchewan Party seems to undervalue these themes of service and community. By cutting funding, from 50 to 60 per cent in regional library headquarters, I am concerned about how rural libraries are expected to operate.
Surely, you understand that by asserting these budget decreases, libraries will be forced to reduce their programming, collections and perhaps even close their doors. In rural areas, libraries are often the only source of accessing much-needed resources, and without them, you condemn those communities to find those resources elsewhere.
I believe in libraries. Our library provides a safe place for people of all ages to learn, discover, and imagine. We work closely with local schools to reach children and encourage literacy.
We partner with many community organizations to support local non-profits. Our library promotes acceptance, diversity and multiculturalism. We often reach out to the most underprivileged demographics and advocate for equality.
By decreasing the funding to such an institution, the Saskatchewan Party communicates a blatant disregard for these values.
I implore you to reconsider these severe budget cuts. They leave libraries and the health of our communities suffering. The aftershock will affect future generations and be felt by the most vulnerable members of our society.
I would like to remind you that your own slogan is “Keep Saskatchewan Strong,” and I hold you accountable to that promise. The strength of our province is rooted in the education and value of our communities, both urban and rural.
Every community deserves the resources libraries are able to provide, and a strong Saskatchewan begins with access to those resources.
I look forward to your reply on this matter.
Victoria Utman
Estevan
Editor’s note: Utman is the children’s program co-ordinator with the Estevan Public Library.
