The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Saskatchewan has launched a social media ad campaign asking for Prince Albert residents to assess Mayor Greg Dionne and the present council in preparation for the November municipal election.
CUPE unions represent a variety of Prince Albert municipal employees, including administration, information technology, bylaw enforcement, building inspectors, recreation and arts employees, sanitation department, roadways, and parks and recreation workers. CUPE leadership said they have a responsibility to make sure leaders in this part of province are responsive to the needs of the communities their workers live in.
“The main thrust of our advertising is about a survey that we’re asking Prince Albert residents to fill out, and so far we’ve got about 400 response from people who live in Prince Albert, which we’re quite pleased with,” CUPE Saskatchewan president Kent Peterson said. “It’s still ongoing. We anticipate a few more coming in. There’s a number of questions we’re asking people to fill out, and I think the responses really point to some of the issues that we’ve been raising.”
The survey campaign asks residents for their opinion on a number of issues, such as the cost of the new Indoor Recreation Centre. Peterson said the CUPE became concerned about the project after the City borrowed an additional $18 million to cover costs.
“We are talking about big money here, and when we’re talking about big money, we have to ask ourselves, does this meet the needs of the City of Prince Albert and the people who live there,” Peterson said. “We’re not saying that there shouldn’t be new recreation facilities or arenas. What we are saying is that has to be done responsibly and it has to be done with a little oversight.”
Peterson said the cost of the facility is something union members and residents have expressed dissatisfaction about. He also said members and residents have told CUPE Mayor Greg Dionne is not handling the issue well.
So far, Peterson said results from more than 300 surveys show crime reduction and public safety are the primary concerns of respondents. Peterson said Dionne has had lots of time to reduce crime in Prince Albert to make sure workers feel safe, and he hasn’t “lived up to his commitments.”
He also said union members and other respondents overwhelmingly feel dissatisfied with Dionne’s performance.
When asked why CUPE is spending union funds on this ad campaign, Peterson said CUPE members live and work in Prince Albert, and have an interest in ensuring public services are strong.
“This is their community too and we’ve got some concerns with how the current mayor in a number of areas has handled some of those public services,” he said. “It’s no secret that the mayor forced the workers inside at the City of Prince Albert to strike last year. Those workers felt quite disrespected by their employer, (and) felt that their work wasn’t appreciated by their employer, who ultimately is the mayor as the head of that administration, and so they want a say too in how their city is run.”
Peterson also said the union has the full support of its Prince Albert members for this ad campaign. The survey is still open on social media.
In a response, Dionne reacted to CUPE’s concerns saying the arena has saved over $6 million in construction.
“The construction is not over budget,” Dionne said in an interview. “The project is almost completed and will be open for tour at the end of September … and will be open close to February or March.”
One of the CUPE ads asked residents if they were unhappy with Dionne’s “pet project”. Dionne said if he has to name any pet project it will be the hospital under construction because the hospital is going to give about 500 jobs to the people of the city of Prince Albert.
“My pet project is to move the city of Prince Albert forward, whether that’s economic development, safety, or infrastructure,” he said.
“I know so many people who are ill and sick, and are in that group getting older and aged, so if I had to pick a pet project it would probably be the hospital. I worked on that project for 10 years.”
Dionne said when he came to power, plans for a second bridge were the main priority. He said moving discussion away from a bridge and into a new hospital was a priority.
“I’m so proud of all my colleagues on council, because it took three terms of council to get the hospital finally approved and moved, so it just wasn’t me. It was council,” he said.
Dionne said the new hospital will provide 500 new jobs, and stop the flow of patients to Regina and Saskatoon.
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