CALGARY -- Hundreds of angry Albertans marched through their cities Saturday to protest the provincial government.
Demonstrations, aimed at speaking out against choices announced in Budget 2020 and 2019, took place in a number of communities in central and southern Alberta.
The protests were organized by the group Alberta Can Forward and encouraged participants to wear red and march in a number of cities including Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge.
The demonstrations in Calgary drew in more than 500 people.
They began at Western Canada High School, then proceeded to the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre. At both locations, speakers talked about education and health care funding, which they believe are unfair to workers.
"Educators are intelligent people and we care about our students and colleagues and we have things to say," grade six teacher Lindsay Dell said. "So I think it’s important to listen to us."
Many Alberta physicians are still upset about recent changes to their pay structure.
"Patients are going be at risk of falling through some serious cracks in our health system," physician Yael Moussadji said. "They’re going to end up at the doorsteps of the emergency rooms and we’re going to be completely overrun."
A sign at the rally read "Death by 1,000 Cuts," and many said the message summed up the protest. The organizing groups said the rallies focused calls for action on a number of other major issues outside of health and education. Some marched in support of AISH, others for safe consumption sites, and some held signs upset with recent budget decisions surrounding PUF.
Alberta Can Forward held a similar protest in Edmonton at the Alberta Legislature on Thursday.
Further information about the group can be found online.
