Thread by @albertaNDP

Premier Jason Kenney is pushing tens of thousands of Albertans into unemployment amid a deadly pandemic by cutting crucial supports for Alberta students.

#25klaidoff #ableg #abed

On Saturday afternoon, the UCP released a brief statement indicating that funding for educational assistants, substitute teachers, bus drivers & others was being withheld from schools during the pandemic.

In total, Kenney is cutting $128 million from the school system.

NDP Education Critic @shoffmanAB noted many students are already struggling as they adjust to learning at home. Now, there will be substantially fewer supports to help them.

As recently as March 18, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange promised Albertans that all funding for students with complex needs would be maintained.

This wave of K-12 layoffs come days after Kenney also proceeded with thousands of layoffs in the post-secondary system. These jobs losses will do even more damage to Alberta’s reeling economy & put even more stress on families struggling through the pandemic.
#abpse #abecon

Instead of standing by these hardworking Albertans, as he has urged private employers to do, Jason Kenney is pushing thousands of people onto a massively overwhelmed federal unemployment insurance program.