Hundreds rally at Alberta legislature against budget cuts to education, services

EDMONTON - Hundreds of Edmonton residents rallied to protest the Alberta government's plans to cut funding to education and public services.

They marched along Jasper Avenue Saturday and gathered at the provincial legislature to show their displeasure with last month's budget.

Public Interest Alberta joined with other groups to protest provincial budget cuts announced in February.

The budget is expected to pass and some say that highlights a major problem regarding the government's priorities, not their resources.

High school students also joined the rally, saying funding to post-secondary education should be a priority.

The ministers of Education, Health and Social Services were not available to comment.

"We are not going to stand quietly by and let this government cut the public services and programs that strengthen the fabric of our communities," said Bill Moore-Kilgannon, rally organizer and executive director of Public Interest Alberta.

"They have billions of dollars that they've just given to the oil and gas industry and I think that we need to value some of the other services much more than that."