April 10 Rally – Coalition to Build a Better BC

The strength of British Columbia is our people. We each contribute in unique and different ways, our talents, ideas and hard work to build a better B.C.

Building communities where every woman, man and child is treated with fairness, dignity and respect is a shared responsibility. It requires all of us to work together

When government singles out groups of individuals – by cutting services they depend on, raising fees inequitably, and unfairly shifting taxes – it diminishes all of us. It doesn’t bring us together. It divides us.

The purpose of the Coalition to Build a Better BC is to bring us together.

The public, community and cultural services that we have built together over the years contribute greatly to a vibrant and diverse B.C. They help to ensure that every British Columbian can participate and share in a quality of life that is recognized around the world.

These services are the things we do for each other. They are an essential cornerstone of a civil society. They are also a critical component of our economic well-being, especially in difficult economic times. A strong public sector to support, build and regulate the private sector is critical to the social, environmental and economic health of our province

Due to drastic funding cuts, chronic underfunding and misaligned political priorities many of these services are at risk of disappearing, and our environment is at risk of permanent degradation

Many of these cuts affect the most vulnerable people in our communities, particularly women, children, isolated seniors, and those with the lowest incomes. It is unacceptable for government to take more from those who have the least in order to give more to those who have the most

We call on the provincial government to:

• Immediately stop cutting public and community services to people;
• Fulfill their responsibility to provide adequate, fair and consistent funding to support public services and community groups; and
• Work in real consultation with groups and individuals to build public and community services that give every individual the democratic opportunity to participate in building a better BC

We, the undersigned, are joining our voices together. We will work with community partners, from every background and region, to build the better British Columbia we desire and know is attainable.