Workers in provincial governments and Crown corporations described the effect of austerity in their workplaces. They have witnessed the reduction of services offered by the public sector as well as the privatization of several other services.
Despite what some elected officials would have us believe, the public is suffering from this disengagement in the public sector, as it has been clearly demonstrated that the private sector is not the best manager.
Austerity has increased since the economic crisis of 2008. With the approval of certain elected officials, the public sector, and our fellow citizens, are paying the price for a crisis created by the private sector.
A speaker from the Council of Canadians, Harjap Grewal, suggested several possible solutions. He noted that the reversal of privatization projects has always stemmed from a concerted effort between union members and other civil society members and organisations.
Mr. Grewal also stressed the fact that we must condemn the actions of some governments adopting austerity models, by reminding them that “public services and public goods are entrusted to them to manage properly for future generations.”
“These services are public goods. Governments should not have the right to dispose of or sell them,” he concluded.