Keeping Public Infrastructure Public Focus of Meeting

Thursday, February 23, 2012 03:48 AM

Prince George, B.C. – The issue of privatization of public infrastructure will be the subject of a special meeting set for March 7^th in Prince George.

The meeting, entitled “Keep It Local, Keep It Public,” will include a short film “Water Makes Money”, to be followed by speakers from CUPE and Stand Up For the North.

The speakers will focus on how communities throughout British Columbia are making sure the water services and other infrastructure in their communities, remains public. A recent example is the successful referendum in Mission- Abbotsford which defeated the proposal to privatized water operations in that region.

Nationally, there is a campaign against the privatization being created through the requirements for “P-3” funded projects through the Federal government.

The Stand uf for the North Committee says there is an increasing number of people who are concerned about the “Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement” (CETA) that the federal government is negotiating with the European Union. The Committee says there have been reports this agreement could make it easier for European multinationals to take control of some types of municipal services in Canada. The Committee also suggests the agreement may have an impact on procurement policies for some municipalities.

The special session is set for Wednesday March 7^th at 7 p.m. at the College of New Caledonia, room 1-306.

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Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2012 03:48 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: But on February 23 2012 8:12 AM

Is there no sanity left in our elected officials. Harper is a detructive force to Canadas' soveriegnty. He should be impeached for CETA, and attempting to sell Canada to the lowest bidder. We need a few nutjobs in Canada running loose to put greedy politicians in line when they overstep thier boundaries of conduct.

Posted by: Eagleone on February 23 2012 8:18 AM

I would urge everyone that can to attend. This is a serious issue for our future democracy. If the CETA deal does go ahead (which it will) the federal government will have in effect sold off our municipal services to foreign multinationals, and will be enforced through federal grants and other money that would normally go to municipalities for local services.

We have a Harper government that is willing to trade local democracy and accountability to get the wishes of multinationals that have a big lobby and campaign finance operation in Ottawa.

Once these multinationals get control of our infrastructure through a federal government that starves municipalities of funding to achieve the P3's they will guarantee their profits through your essential infrastructure needs... and the profits will flow out of Canada to pensioners and big bankster financiers in Europe.

Posted by: gus on February 23 2012 8:44 AM

"The Committee says there have been reports this agreement could make it easier for European multinationals to take control of some types of municipal services in Canada."

So we do not have Canadian multinationals that could take control of some types of municipal services in Europe.

I hear the municipal services market in Greece is ripe for takeover.

Posted by: gus on February 23 2012 8:51 AM

BTW, it seems the private sector in Canada is chomping at the bit to get these P3 contracts in which organizations such as municipalities, RCMP, etc are building infrastructure which supposedly removes risk and puts it onto the private sector.

Taking on risk costs dollars. So, I do not know who is kidding who. They tried it with the Sports Centre at UNBC and they could not get an agreement, so now UNBC and the City are jointly paying for the operation and will benefit from any savings and be stuck with any extras.

In the end, the taxpayer pays for it one way or the other. I think the jury is still in on which way is the best. Not enough time has passed and not enough projects.

Ontario is looking to put in more toll roads to balance their budget.