Business on board but most politicians and media reflect public’s scepticism

To probe attitudes toward privatization among Canadian opinion leaders, CUPE commissioned an independent opinion research firm to conduct interviews with a select number of highly placed individuals in the business sector, in public life and within the media. The 66 interviews were conducted in the autumn of 1999, with participants responding to 98 items contained in 26 questions.

While the sample size was small, the survey suggests there are marked differences between the attitudes toward privatization of this elite group and the population as a whole. Most pronounced are the strong views of business leaders who share few of the concerns held by the majority of Canadians about the impact of privatization on service quality, equity or jobs. Corporate decision-makers are more willing to acknowledge that access to services will be reduced, that public safety will suffer and that Canadian control will be lost.

With public private partnerships, again, there is a sharp disparity in attitudes, with the private sector less inclined to recognize the negative consequences, including cuts to service and staff.