To the Editor:
Back in the 1990's, right-wing ideology drove the Conservative government of Mike Harris in Ontario to make ill-advised regulatory and funding cuts affecting the safety of drinking water in that province.
A 2002 Judicial Inquiry concluded that those cuts led directly to the contaminated water in the Town of Walkerton that killed seven people and left thousands seriously ill.
The same foolish mentality seems to have infested the Harper regime in Ottawa.
It's notable that three of the provincial Ministers at the time of the Walkerton tragedy - Jim Flaherty, John Baird and Tony Clement - are now the most senior people in the Harper cabinet federally. So is it just coincidence that their 2012 Budget has attacked programs and services related to public safety?
Canada's food inspection system was hit. So was food labeling. Environmental science. Maritime search-and-rescue. Prison safety. Border services. A program to keep soil-borne diseases from migrating among provinces. All cut, and more! The Conservatives are even weakening civilian supervision of Canadian spies.
Most recently, federal support for programs designed to cope with civic emergencies is also being eliminated. With the greatest of respect, that's just plain stupid!
Since 1980, the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program has helped to build Canada's capacity at all levels to respond to disaster situations - preparing and updating plans, conducting exercises, doing risk assessments, installing infrastructure, acquiring equipment, etc. It has also funded Heavy Urban Search-and-Rescue teams like the one recently in service at Elliot Lake.
In addition, the Canadian Emergency Management College in Ottawa has provided invaluable classroom and field training for emergency workers.
All this is being scrapped. The Conservatives seem to think there won't be any more floods or storms or other public emergencies, or if there are, they'll be purely provincial or municipal responsibilities.
More downloading. More dereliction of duty.
Meanwhile, the one public safety program that's not being cut is $20-million every year for a security staff of 120 people to guard Stephen Harper.
Ralph Goodale, MP, Wascana, SK.
