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AUPE News & Updates
Member Updates
Member Update: Friday, Sept. 10, 2004
It’s your future: AUPE
President urges members to complete Alberta government survey
EDMONTON — AUPE members should take the opportunity to state
their views on the province’s future spending priorities by
completing the survey now being circulated by the Alberta government,
says President Dan MacLennan.
“Members of all AUPE sectors who work in education, health
care, provincial government and boards, agencies and local governments
have urged their fellow AUPE members to use this survey to make
the case for appropriate funding in these essential areas,”
MacLennan said.
MacLennan noted that many other AUPE members have reservations about
the purpose of the survey and its methodology.
“It’s pretty clear that the survey will be used primarily
to assist the government when it develops its election platform
for the vote expected next fall,” MacLennan said.
In addition, he cautioned, many observers have had a problem with
the fact that the survey asks respondents to rate the importance
of various key programs — but does not really allow them to
set priorities by choosing among programs.
Nor does the survey allow respondents much input into the details
of how general policies should be delivered, he added.
“But despite these concerns, the survey does permit voters
to indicate what the province’s general priorities should
be, and for that reason we urge AUPE members to complete it,”
he said.
“We can use it to indicate the high priority we place on education,
health care and quality public services.”
With the provincial government claiming to have eliminated the province’s
debt, the four-part survey seeks Albertans’ input on a number
of issues surrounding the investment of current and future surpluses.
The survey asks Albertans to prioritize the importance of 13 investment
options, rating each question on a scale of one to 10 (one being
a very low priority and 10 being a very high priority).
The health and education sectors are the first two questions respondents
are asked to rate.
The survey then lists a number of other potential priorities for
Albertans, such as providing support to Albertans who need help,
such as low-income families, children and families at risk, people
with disabilities, seniors, new immigrants and the province’s
Aboriginal Peoples.
The provincial government has also included other survey questions
dealing with reducing taxes, providing Albertans with refunds and
investing in the province’s Heritage Fund.
The survey is estimated to cost the provincial government and Albertans
approximately $500,000. Survey results will be released sometime
in October 2004.
Albertans should receive the survey titled “It’s Your
Future” in the coming days, and will have until Sept. 24,
2004 to complete the survey and respond by mail.
Members can also fill out the questionnaire online by clicking the
following web address:
http://www.finance.gov.ab.ca/surveys/itsyourfuture.html |
