Dear Editor:
The federal and B.C. governments have finally released their budgets, and as expected the right-wing nature of the two parties came forward in the most brutal way possible: cuts to programs desperately needed by the least fortunate in our country and province.
Instead of spending on the infrastructure needed to prepare for the future, both governments have been seized by the conservative bug of slaying deficits at all costs. The costs are too high as it is and are being paid almost entirely by the middle and working classes of society. Unemployment remains high, social services to help those unemployed and underemployed persons are being scrapped, and all to protect the interests of the wealthiest members of our society. It's right-wing governance at its very core; enrich the well-connected and the "job creators" and hope they mean it this time when they say that the wealth will trickle down.
Jobs haven't trickled down, better wages certainly haven't trickled down from the socio-economic elite. The only thing that's trickled down are the savings accounts of the Canadian middle class. We need our provincial and federal governments to start acting in the best interests of society, and a good start can be a solid infrastructure program that rebuilds our cities and our transportation grid. Let's spend a little now to make the future brighter for everyone and create a stronger economic base for our country.
Trevor Ritchie, Burnaby
