The B.C. Association of Social Workers has issued a last-minute open letter to the provincial government, asking: "What has happened to our social contract?"
In a news release published today, the BCASW said:
Over the last decade in B.C. we have seen the unraveling and frayed state of the social contract as it used to be, never perfect, always underfunded, but still providing a foundation for and commitment to at least trying to meet the needs of our most vulnerable people.
Social work professionals work and live in communities all around the province, and are witness to the harm the cutbacks to services have caused to individuals, families and communities.
We ask the B.C. government, what has happened to our social contract? Why are we eroding the very policies and services that meet the vital needs of our citizens, invest in social capital and support the most valuable resources we have – our people?
The people of B.C. simply cannot sustain any more cuts, nor can frontline workers and others who struggle to meet the overwhelming demands placed on them to fix problems created by unsound and bad public policy.
... We urge the B.C. government to reconsider their ill-advised fiscal decisions and invest in the people of BC. The time has never been more important for the government to uphold their commitment and obligation to the public good and to repairing the social contract.
Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.
9
Login or register to post comments
sunshine coast girl
2 years ago
They won't listen,
they don't believe in "the people". They are destroyers. Fire the lot of them!!
Otis Krayola
2 years ago
S C Girrl
Who?
Social workers? Or the Lieberals?
sunshine coast girl
2 years ago
The Lieberals!
But they don't care. They have the "best of the best" apparently. I would respectfully disagree.
ME2
2 years ago
Arbeit macht frei
Or "Work makes one free", was advice posted over the entrances to many Nazi Concentration Camps, such as Dachau, Auschwitz, and Theresienstadt.
The slogan is perfectly suited for Fascists like Gordo and Harpo who believe that "The Market" will care for everyone who wants to work, and that all forms of social welfare are only for undeserving malingerers.
It is the rich who are the strong, and who deserve to be pampered, while the non-productive poor, the sick, the weak and the misfits, should be left at the wayside, and if they didn't have the vote, they would be.
Grania
2 years ago
L. LeBlanc
Can we have an article outlining community initatives to recall this government as soon as the 17 months are up as well as initiatives to visibly demonstrate in public and efforts to bring class action suits against MLA's? Surely there is more than enough evidence to do so? Are seniors, students and low income families getting involved? Trying to get this information, in a timely manner, is almost impossible at this point....
Name
2 years ago
Guts to stand up
Bravo! At least government social workers have the guts to stand up and call it as they see it.
I wonder if a single BC Liberal MLA will find the courage to do the same and to challenge their leader's sick, twisted and destructive policies?
coastalgirl
2 years ago
Too bad for you
It is too bad for the social workers as I agree with them completely. However, our provincial liberals only listen to you if you represent big-business. Sorry:(
morechatter
2 years ago
Campbell's Liberals Go In for the Kill
I thought the war on poverty was eliminating poverty and not killing off the poor? Personally I think Campbell's plan is to kill off the poor eveything indicates that is the plan.
BC low income residents are the hardest hit in the country as BC Liberals blow a hole in social safety net that has many citizens checking out for good young and old.
It is real, BC low income families and residents cannot afford to feed their children and themselves a healthy diet or a safe place to live. As many are forced to the streets as low income are left out in the cold as homelessness becomes a BC household word. Its what happens as those on disablities or assistance or pensions don't receive enough to survive in the city as rents and food budgets are less than 50% what it needs to be surprised. A good way to ensure the low income are not long for the world.
jim1966
2 years ago
Finally....
Well does any of this suprise anyone?, BC should change it's name to "GordoLand", Recall is one way to go on these issues but the other is for the average Joe/Mary citizen to speak up and tell Victoria what they think via they're MLA.