Agencies for disabled hold protest bottle drive

Hundreds of disabled people and their supporters staged a bottle drive in Edmonton Thursday night to protestprovincial funding cuts.

Rhona Perrin dropped off her empties on the steps of the McDougall United Church in the attempt to mock the province bysuggestingagencies could cover the cuts withbottle returns.

"My mother-in-law's two sons are disabled," said Rhona Perrin, "so when they cut back that's gonna affect her and the kids."

Like many people, Wendy King dropped off a bottle containing a message for Premier Ed Stelmach. "It was a quote from Thomas Jefferson, the best government is that that does good by its citizens," she said. "Hopefully, Mr. Stelmach wants to stay in government."

Last month, the province asked disability groups in the Edmonton area to find $2.8 million in savings, their share of a roughly $12 millionbudgetcut to Alberta's People with Developmental Disabilities.

The privately-run agencies that have been hit by the cuts hope the government gets that message.

"Families now will be speaking to MLAs. Families now will continue tobe vocal. Families are committed to making sure that they're heard," said Lorrie Williams, chairwoman of the Edmonton Council of Service Providers, which represents 40groups in the city. "This is the first step and I think government will continue to hear this through the month."

Williams' group refused to cut its budget because they felt there was nothing they could trim. They were also angry the families didn't get enough notice about the cut which was to take effect Jan. 1.

The province's minister of seniors and community supports, Mary Anne Jablonski, said the clawback was a result of the economic downturn.

Agencies that help disabled people are worried more cuts are ahead when the province announces the 2010-11 budget on Feb. 9.

The province's anticipated deficit is currently forecast to be $4.3 billion.