Privatization Watch - October/November 2011

P3 water project sinks in Abbotsford

Nov 21, 2011 07:22 PM A P3 water plan was overwhelmingly rejected in Abbotsford and the former mayor, George Peary, an outspoken P3 supporter was also defeated. The $291 million project would have been the largest privately financed undertaking in the water sector in Canada to date.

Alberni Valley campaign sinks P3 – keeps water public

Nov 7, 2011 02:37 PM Beaver Creek residents are keeping their water public. They saw little value in a proposed P3 water infrastructure plan. They proved it by voting 73 per cent against a pricey P3 plan on Oct. 29.

Abbotsford joins BC lobby to cut P3 strings from federal infrastructure funding

Nov 25, 2011 06:40 PM The City of Abbotsford has a new mayor who is taking a new, public approach to meeting the city and region’s future water needs. Abbotsford resident’s recently rejected the Stave Lake P3 water project by an overwhelming 75 per cent. In turn they also turned down a $65 million grant from the federal government, sending a clear message that this community will not accept federal money with P3 strings attached.

Abbotsford packs the hall for public water

Mission-Abbotsford Water Watch activist Lynn Perrin, CUPE National president Paul Moist, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow and Water Watch activist Janet Chalmers.

Oct 12, 2011 12:19 PM A standing-room only crowd heard about the dangers of the Comprehensive Economic Trade agreement and how it affects the ability of communities to maintain public water services from CUPE National president Paul Moist, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow and Water Watch Mission-Abbotsford activist Lynn Perrin.

Citizen takes on Abbotsford City Hall over P3 plan

Oct 20, 2011 02:05 PM As the City of Abbotsford continues their expensive P3 campaign, more and more citizens are raising concerns and questions about the Stave Lake P3 water project.

P3 water – Public money used to push private option in Abbotsford

Oct 21, 2011 01:14 PM Today’s announcement of a federal grant for the City’s P3 water plan comes as no surprise. The grant of $65.7-million (of taxpayers’ money) is the federal government’s way of pushing communities to privatize public services like water treatment and delivery.

Feds get failing grade on drinking water protection

Sign the Ecojustice petition calling for federal standards that protect our right to safe drinking water

Nov 16, 2011 04:35 PM A new report card gives the Harper government an F for its poor record on drinking water protection.

Municipalities across Canada raise concerns about CETA

Oct 17, 2011 05:46 PM As Canadians learn about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), communities across Canada are raising concerns. Several have passed resolutions demanding that provincial and territorial governments negotiate a clear, permanent exemption for local governments from CETA.

CETA 2011 tour wraps up in December with London and Charlottetown dates

In Ottawa, Frédéric Viale (far right), from ATTAC-France presented a European perspective on CETA.

Nov 24, 2011 03:31 PM CUPE and the Council of Canadian’s cross-country townhall meetings on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement will wrap up this December after stops in 16 cities. The final CETA 2011 tour dates are Dec. 1 in London, Ontario and Dec. 8 in Charlottetown, PEI.

Health care: 94% of Canadians - including Conservatives - choose public over for-profit solutions

Nov 24, 2011 02:30 PM An overwhelming 94-percent of Canadians support public - not private, for-profit - solutions to making the country's healthcare system stronger - with an equal number of Conservatives flying the banner for public health care.

Privatization: the wrong direction for patients

Nov 20, 2011 03:21 PM A new television ad, which airs this week, takes aim at the Saskatchewan government's decision to contract-out surgeries in the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region.

The truth about health care : Public Medicare is sustainable

Oct 19, 2011 10:30 AM First in a series of short videos on some of the myths we hear too often on the public health care system (part 1 of 4). Produced by CUPE in 2011. Excerpts from CUPE's National Health Care Sector Meeting held in Victoria, British Columbia, in the Fall of 2010.

President of Britain's UNISON tells health care workers: Beware of privatization!

Oct 30, 2011 05:38 PM Eleanor Smith, President of UNISON (Britain's largest public sector union) addressed CUPE's health care sector meeting this Sunday, in Vancouver. In her speech, she highlighted some of the major issues related to the English National Health Service, and drew parallels between the situation in the UK and in Canada.

Contracted-in NS road work cuts costs in half

Nov 23, 2011 02:48 PM New figures released by the Nova Scotia government show major savings from bringing road maintenance work back in-house. Members of CUPE 1867 campaigned for the three-year pilot project to chip seal roads, knowing they could do the work well, and save tax dollars.