May 30, 1998
UNIONS SLAM KLEIN'S EI PLEA
The criticism came a day after Klein said Ottawa should give Canadian workers a break by using its $15.7-billion EI surplus to lower premiums. "Here in Alberta, the government has recorded more than $6.5 billion in budget surpluses over the past four years," said Alberta Federation of Labor president Audrey Cormack. "But how much of that money has gone back to the working people? The answer to that question is zero. "Nothing has been spent on services for people - like health care and education." And the head of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees called Klein's jab at the federal Liberals typical of a government that avoids such criticism itself by shifting responsibilities to local authorities or the feds themselves. "As a provincial employee, my pension was mishandled by the government for 13 to 14 years and we had to pay extra into it to make up for it," Dan McLennan said. "Certainly, we feel the federal government could do a better job with EI, but the Alberta government is hardly in a position to criticize over spending decisions." A Klein spokesman yesterday dismissed the criticism of health and education spending as pure fantasy. The government's surplus has actually allowed it to increase spending in those two key areas, said David Bray. "Health spending has increased by $650 million over the last three years and education spending will increase by $400 million over the next three years," said Bray. "They're attacking the government for spending cuts but spending in these areas is going up." Next Story: MAITSON ASSAULT TRIAL SLATED FOR DECEMBER Previous Story: BE ALERT, MICHENER STAFF TOLD
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