From the New Brunswick Green Party
Many of society’s most vulnerable people have been left in a ‘fragile’ state by the economic downturn and cuts to public services and benefits, according to a recent study conducted in the UK. This study focused on three groups: disabled residents and care givers, young people, and families on low incomes.
Key findings:
- There is a collective sense of fear and anxiety about what the future holds. The vast majority believe the situation will get worse before it gets better, yet many feel they are already at the breaking point.
- The vast majority of people have been affected not by just one cut, but by several, usually a combination of national and local.
- Feelings and fear of isolation and loneliness are at the core of many people’s concerns about the cuts – for both themselves and their loved ones.
- People feel victimised by sudden and imposed changes to their day-to-day lives, exacerbated by a lack of knowledge or confidence in knowing how to challenge the situation.
- There is a mix of frustration, understanding, blame and empathy for local public service providers. Residents are angry at central government over decisions to cut benefits and local government funding. Others voice frustration over the ‘Big Society’ agenda, where volunteers are expected to take over the running of services.
Is the situation any different in New Brunswick? Although there is no silver bullet that will change things over night, one has to start somewhere. Families are the foundation of society and as such should be the place to start.
The New Brunswick Green Party believes that providing support for families helps prevent problems from arising, relieves strain on limited family budgets, and assures equal access to quality care and opportunities for the more vulnerable in our society. A Green Government would (A) provide new parents the opportunity to access the professional help needed for parenting support (B) establish a non-profit, universally accessible quality childcare system and ensure workers are paid fairly (C)establish a Seniors Bill of Rights that protects seniors from abuse and guarantees their access to appropriate services. (D) amend legislation to ensure workers’ pensions are protected in bankruptcy proceedings (E)make appropriate changes to our public education system to help each student develop their potential .
Wayne Sabine
The New Brunswick Green Party
