[Victoria] They came to Victoria on February 23rd from in their tens, hundreds and thousands to protest the slash and burn policies of Gordon Campbell’s Liberal government in British Columbia.

Nearly 40,000 people from all parts of B.C. descended on Victoria to demonstrate their anger with a government that has already announced plans to eliminate 12,000 government jobs over the next three years, imposed contracts on teachers and altered their collective agreements, and legislatively gutted collective agreements of health care and social service workers.

The protesters came from all walks of life. There were teachers, nurses, anti-poverty groups, seniors, parents, aboriginals, public employees, youth, social activists and thousands of other citizens in the protest.

The rally began in Centennial Square and wound its way down Government Street to the legislature grounds, with the crowd singing and chanting anti-government slogans. Despite a significant police presence, both on foot and on horseback, the crowd was peaceful. When one senior commented to a policeman about how peaceful the rally was, he snarled back: "so far."

The common thread among the protesters was outrage over the fact that they had been lied to and manipulated during the last election campaign. The Liberals, who had promised good government and modest change, have now engaged in public service cuts that surpass even Klein and Harris. A 30% tax cut benefiting the wealthy and the business sector, closed courthouses, prisons, hospitals and welfare offices, and reduced welfare rates apparently don’t meet most people’s idea of "modest change".

Leaked document shocks BC

On March 4, 2002, the Hospital Employees Union (CUPE) released a secret government budget document that outlines the Campbell government’s plan to axe nearly 28,000 health care jobs, increase surgery wait lists, eliminate hospital beds and shift another $500 million health care costs onto the shoulders of B.C. families.

The government document calls for contracting out 20,000 health care workers jobs in housekeeping, laundry and food services to the private sector. The government actually predicts that most of these workers will take their old jobs back in the private sector – but with wage cuts of up to 30 per cent.

The increasing anger of British Columbians over the government actions promises a long and bitter confrontation between the government of B.C. and the electorate. Already there are strong calls for mounting Recall Campaigns against government MLAs.