Robyn Benson: Letter to the Editor, National Post

I’ve just read to the end of National Post View: The unions’ blame-Harper strategy hoping desperately that the editorialist would give me a way out of our current conundrum.

I left the page disappointed and confused. Because frankly I’m not sure what the National Post wants us to do.

They must know we cannot support the conservatives. The Harper government has cut tens of thousands of jobs and eliminated the services those people provide. They’ve spent the last nine years dismantling services like search and rescue, food inspection, veterans support, employment insurance and environmental protection.

It’s really funny that the Post thinks it’s the unions that are out to smash the state.

We can’t oppose the government, I read, because they might decide to not like us. I think it’s safe to say we’re already there.

We can’t say anything about the services we provide because the public might be outraged that we are defending public services rather than supporting the government that would deprive the public of the services we pay for.

Apparently the fact that most Canadians never voted for the governing party or its agenda of getting government out of governing is immaterial as are the aspirations of those who need the services the Conservatives have cut.

That leaves us with two ways to placate the Post: be silent or support the governing party.

To me these are not reasonable choices. Nor should anyone accept them in a… what’s that word? Oh yeah - democracy.

Yours very truly,
Robyn Benson, National President, Public Service Alliance of Canada