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What good is a balanced budget if you don’t have people working and paying taxes?
Feb 20, 2020
On February 19 at 7:00 am, I attended a demonstration at the Legislative Building in an effort to persuade the government to reconsider closing the jail in Dauphin.
I don’t belong to the union but was there to support my god-daughter and her husband (who works at the Dauphin jail). They are a young couple with two kids, a mortgage and car payments and only one full-time income. Now, with little notice, they will be forced to sell their home, uproot their kids, find jobs and relocate.
It was a peaceful protest and as cars turned in to the Legislative grounds they were offered a pamphlet briefly outlining the union’s position. One quote on the pamphlet pointed out that 80 jobs lost in Dauphin would be equivalent to 8,000 jobs lost in Winnipeg. Most cars stopped and took a pamphlet but our Premier and several of his cabinet ministers drove by without acknowledging the demonstrators or took five seconds to roll down their window to take a pamphlet.
By driving right by, they chose to ignore the union members in much the same way as their government has chosen to ignore the 80+ jobs in Dauphin. They were elected to serve all Manitobans. To ignore those who were participating in a peaceful demonstration shows a lack of respect. Elected officials don’t have to agree with everyone, but they should at the very least show enough respect to acknowledge those who drove in from Dauphin at 3:00 am in the morning or from The Pas the night before as well as all the others who walked in -23 degree weather for several hours to try to make their case.
I would urge the government to take another look at keeping the jail in Dauphin open, not only to protect those much needed jobs, but also to help with the restorative justice movement to keep inmates close to their families. The majority of the inmates in the Dauphin jail are from Dauphin area and north. Relocating them to southern jails will only separate them further from their support systems and set our judicial system back decades.
What
good is a balanced budget if you don’t have people working and paying
taxes? Manitobans need to be concerned about the cavalier attitude of our
government and let them know this is not acceptable.
Respectfully,
Louise Chernetz
East St. Paul, MB
Comments
Comments are now closed
My daughter a CO at the DCC worked there a couple of years, moved back to Wpg worked at Headingly and lived with Mom so she could save enough money to buy a house in Dauphin and settle there permanently. Which she did and I am so proud of her! She is also a volunteer fireman and has made this her home. Now it has been ripped out from underneath her , her future and security totally unknown! What do 80 employees do with 80 houses up for sale? Who’s going to buy in Dauphin? Why would they? How can you play with peoples lives like this? It is not a board game!! Reverse the decision and do the right thing!
Anonymous - 2020-02-20 16:28
Totally agree as my daughter is one of those 80 employees who has had the rug pulled out from under them and been handed a dirty deal! Please revisit this decision and do the right thing Mr Pallister! Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, do not go to Costa Rica, Dave 80 jobs and save our jail !!!
Anonymous - 2020-02-20 19:51
Totally agree as my daughter is one of those 80 employees who has had the rug pulled out from under them and been handed a dirty deal! Please revisit this decision and do the right thing Mr Pallister! Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, do not go to Costa Rica, Dave 80 jobs and save our jail !!!
Anonymous - 2020-02-20 19:51
Please read and forward to Brian Pallister. Once elected , there is no courtesy to be shown to the public who are fighting for their livelihood??????????????
Anonymous - 2020-02-20 21:00
Both my son, and Daughter In Law work at The Dauphin Corrections, so as many others I too am very concerned, and saddened at how this abrupt decision was thrown under our Parkland Area, as it involves all who live here. Both my son, and DIL commute to Dauphin to work, but had recently purchased land near Dauphin with plans on building a home near Dauphin to be closer to their work place. They are young, and would be contributing into our local economy for years to come. I hope that Brian Pallister can find it in his heart to reverse this decision. My son had gone to Wpg to protest peacefully, and I wished him luck before he left......Whether , or not this will make any difference to the powers at be, at least I can say we love our Rural way of life, and we are all in this ship together....We will not go down, and we are giving it our best shot....Continued hope, and luck to everyone of our workers at the Dauphin Corrections....We're with you, and behind you 100% !!!!!!!
Flora Proulx - 2020-02-24 06:22