KAMLOOPS City councils consultant on privatizing the citys water filtration system is a founding member of the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships, a lobbyist for privatizing government services.
CUPE has also learned that Price WaterhouseCoopers, the consulting firm that recommended council hire a private company to develop the new system, is an Ottawa lobbyist for Seagrams.
In 2000, Seagrams merged with Vivendi, the worlds largest private water company.
Given its corporate connections, Price WaterhouseCoopers can hardly claim to be neutral when it comes to water, said Mel Hale, CUPE Local 900 president. This is about as close as it gets to the fox guarding the henhouse.
They have submitted a one-sided report to council that is more marketing than evaluation, Hale said. The city should send the bill straight to the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships.
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Reporters note: Check www.pwcglobal.com/uk/eng/about/svcs/bspflash/Water.html.
Contact: Mel Hale, CUPE Local 900 President, (250) 374-0042 or 319-1907 (cell).