Riot Police Repel Protest Of Spending Cuts

Riot police battled protesters trying to storm Ontario’s Legislature Wednesday as the new conservative premier, earning his nickname “Chainsaw,” outlined plans to slash social spending.

The premier, Mike Harris, is a former golf pro and teacher often depicted as a Canadian version of Newt Gingrich.

An estimated 5,000 protesters - including union members, welfare recipients and Indians - surged over the Legislature’s front lawn, forcing police to use clubs and pepper spray to keep them away from the building’s large wooden doors.

Inside, lawmakers at the new Legislature’s opening session heard a government dignitary read Harris’ formal policy statement. An hour after the speech ended, the legislative building was evacuated after security received several bomb threats.

Harris, elected in June, confirmed that his government plans radical surgery on the vast welfare state serving the 10 million people in Canada’s most populous province.

Harris intends to reduce annual spending by $6.7 billion, a 20 percent drop, by imposing huge cuts on welfare, public housing, mass transit and cultural programs. He vows to lay off at least 13,000 civil servants, impose work-for-welfare requirements, scale back affirmative action and scrap laws favorable to labor unions.

Opinion polls show strong public support for Harris, who has promised to slash provincial taxes by 30 percent over the next few years.