Halifax Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) will be picketing City Hall today at 5 p.m. to protest City Councils plans to turn the municipalitys waste water treatment over to a public-private partnership.
CUPE spokesperson Danny Cavanagh says he cant understand why City Council is so struck on a P3 process for the harbour clean-up, especially after the Halifax Harbour Solutions Advisory Committee has recommended against it.
Why Council isnt pursuing the public option after adopting the committees report is mind boggling, he says. They have spent thousands of taxpayers dollars in pursuit of a private partner when there has been no call for privatization except from City staff.
Cavanagh, who is spearheading CUPEs Water Watch campaign, says privately owned plants will cost more, lead to price hikes for rate payers and compromise the health and safety of citizens as corners are cut to increase profits.
Its been proven time and again that privatization doesnt work, says Cavanagh. The P3 schools in Nova Scotia cost more, plans to privatize highways have been abandoned, and the Otter Lake Solid Waste Facility was a privatization fiasco for HRM taxpayers.
For more information please contact:
Danny Cavanagh, at 455-4180