It is a year this week since the last federal election. Active members and supporters of the New Democratic Party (NDP) celebrate this event, for their party passed the Liberals to finally become Her Majesty's Official Opposition in the House of Commons. However, others, like myself, remember that day for the fact that Stephen Harper and his Canadian Alliance/Reform Party colleagues were able to squeeze out a majority of the seats in the House of Commons. For us, it was a day of mourning.

For those who live on the prairies, it was worrisome, as we knew the Reformers better than people in the rest of Canada. For years we heard them attacking gay rights, denouncing feminists, opposing abortion and any form of gun control, opposing state-supported child care, denouncing economic support for Aboriginal communities, supporting two-tier medicare, denouncing environmentalists and insisting that climate change was bad science by communists. A great many were Christian fundamentalists, demanding public support for their own separate school systems where they wouldn’t have to teach evolution. They were strong supporters of free market capitalism and opposed collective democratic institutions like the Canadian Wheat Board. They wanted Canada to go into Iraq with the Americans.

Are you concerned about the way Regina is being governed?
Open Public Meeting about City Issues
United Way, 1440 Scarth Street (at 8th Ave.)
Monday, March 26th, 7:00 p.m.

* No Affordable Housing - There is a housing crisis in Regina: no social housing, no apartments, no affordable houses to buy, and far too many overpriced condos and expanding suburbs.

* Domed Stadium - The top dogs in the City and many current Councilors have put a first priority on building a domed football stadium, which is certain to cost taxpayers a bundle in the short and long run.

* Removal of neighbourhood Community Schools - The School Board and the City government do not recognize the importance of having schools in our local neighbourhoods, and that includes community schools.

*Exclusion of Aboriginal people. We have a large and growing Aboriginal community in our city which is excluded from just about everything.

* Privatization - More services are being contracted out or privatized costing the taxpayer more and with no increase in value.

* Seniors - Seniors on fixed incomes face high assessments on their small, older homes and rapidly increasing property taxes.

* Library Changes - Major changes are being proposed for our main library and the public has been kept completely in the dark on this issue.