NEW BRUNSWICK

Thumbs down… to the New Brunswick government for failing to return control and maintenance of the privatized Fredericton-Moncton stretch of the TransCanada Highway to public hands.

Thumbs down… to the New Brunswick government for allowing another P3 school — this time a Fredericton high school — despite the spectacular cost overruns of the province’s first P3 school in Moncton.

Thumbs down… to the city of Moncton for building a badly-needed water treatment plant through a 20-year deal with a Vivendi-controlled company. The plant is up and running, but residents still have to boil their water. The company blames the pipes. Will they want to own those next?

Thumbs down… to the municipality of Miramichi for contracting with water privateer Schlumberger to install, service and read water meters. The municipality plans to let the private company handle water billing as well, handing a dangerous level of control to Schlumberger.