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Hi. Um, I'm Elaine Yost from Options, and... [cheering]
And I'm sad that we have to meet like this so frequently.
But we are in a crisis! The government of Alberta is clawing back
approximately 12 million dollars from agencies in the province.
[crowd calling shame] And we're being told we have to do this in
the last three months of the contract year. And, we are being told that we need to make
the decision, we were told we need to make it in five days.
[crowd calling shame] Today is the day.
[crowd calling shame]
We're in a moral and ethical dilemma. The thrust of the department of PDD,
over the past 25 years, has been that individuals and their families
will have some control over the services which they will use,
and what services they need. Together with agencies,
in a dedicated partnership, they have negotiated their support needs and
the funding attached to it. For the most part, that funding is what makes
up our agency contracts.
For over 50 years, but especially for the past 25 years,
agencies have been involved in the sacred work of providing support to Alberta's most
vulnerable citizens. [cheering]
It's a story of caring, of love, of compassion,
of service, of quality and a reverence for all people.
There is a commitment beyond professional care.
The actions of our government are putting this in danger
and we are in danger of losing the real story of our work.
[crowd calling shame] Cutting funds means less staff time,
less support time, less quality, and setting up potential crisis situations
for clients and families, if there is family support.
It is unconscionable to me, as the executive director of an agency,
to be asked to unilaterally make decisions in this most disrespectful and unethical way.
[cheering]
For the most part, families are not being informed about this
clawback and they have no idea of what the impact is
going to be on services or the immediacy of the action
and what it's really going to mean for their sons and daughters.
We're being used as scapegoats. We are supposed to inform families that services
are being cut. [crowd calling shame]
Given that most of our contract dollars go to supporting the individuals through staffing
support there are no alternatives but to lay off staff,
reduce the amount of support individuals get and in some instances put them and our staff
in high risk situations. [calls of shame and disaster]
There are also legal issues for our organizations that we have to be concerned about.
I want to trust our minister, Mary Anne Jablonski, and what our premier said about regarding
their commitment to individuals and families as a priority.
This action certainly doesn't give me much confidence in that commitment.
Many of the recent announcements and proposed policy changes by the minister
appear to be designed to erode, undermine and generally disable the service providing
agencies that have provided exemplary service for the past 25 years.
The six new priorities for our sector are designed to clarify the business of the department.
It is my view that clearly it is about the money and not the people.
[crowd calling shame] It appears
the most important consideration must be the impact on the individuals we serve.
They've been left out of the deliberation.
In the business plan for 2009 to 2012 the vision for the department is
"a vibrant province where all albertans experience the best possible well-being and independence."
We all support that vision.
I sincerely hope the minister and her colleagues will put a halt to this rash clawback,
request a risk assessment from the agencies and implement immediate discussions with families
about the kind of province albertans want to have.
[cheering] [applause]
Albertans are interested in fair play. This isn't fair.