Protesters rail against austerity, corruption

Corruption. Austerity. Privatization.

Those are about the three dirtiest words one could utter about the provincial government.

And on Sunday afternoon, more than 75 demonstrators who gathered at Place Jacques Cartier weren’t afraid to hurl those words again and again at Premier Philippe Couillard, assailing the Liberal government for making cuts to everything from hospitals that can no longer afford adult diapers to public daycare centres that have resorted to skimping on meat in their food menus.

Similar protests — unaffiliated with any political party — were held across the province.

“This is an arrogant government, a government that doesn’t listen to the people,” said Arianne Cassandre, one of the organizers of the “Tous UNIS contre le government Couillard” demonstration at Place Jacques Cartier in Old Montreal.

The demonstrations were held just three days after the government tabled its budget — with modest increases in spending for health and education. The same day the budget was unveiled, the provincial anti-corruption police squad arrested former deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau and six others on graft charges.

After corruption and austerity, the protesters denounced the Couillard government for opening the door to the privatization of health care.

“This is a government that keeps making cuts to health care to the point where people are giving up on the public system and seeking private care,” Cassandre added.

The protesters waved signs that read “Couillard dehors,” urging him to resign. But the turnout was lower than organizers expected, perhaps because they decided to hold their demo on the same day as the St. Patrick’s parade.

Still, some people felt they had no choice but to show up and demonstrate.

“Yes, absolutely, this is an arrogant government,” said Robert Boisvert, a retired psychologist who lives on Nun’s Island.