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Help save B.C. parks.
Vancouver (15 August 2011) - Since 2001, the B.C. Liberal government has cut $10 million from the B.C. Parks budget - including $2.5 million in 2009 and more than $660,000 in the last year alone.
In the past two years, more than 40 vehicle leases were terminated. Gasoline and travel budgets for park rangers to patrol provincial parks were slashed. Some rangers have been forced to patrol parks by Greyhound bus for lack of a vehicle. Some park areas have no budget for toilet paper. Only 10 full-time park rangers are left to cover the entire province. Sixty per cent of seasonal rangers' jobs were cut and their work contracts cut to four months a year.
The B.C. Government and Services Employees Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) has started a campaign to ensure B.C. parks do not take any more neglect. Infrastructure is decaying. Lack of patrols are resulting in damage and an increased risk of forest fires.
Park supporters are encouraged to send a message to the provincial Liberal government, to restore B.C. Parks funding to the 2000 levels ($40 million) and to reclaim one of British Columbia's most valuable natural assets.
Other ways the public can help are to send an email to the premier and environment minister, post campaign links to Facebook profiles and Twitter feeds and circulate the awareness ads and new video to friends and relatives.
More information:
B.C. Government and General Employees Union (BCGEU/NUPGE)
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE