[P3 Alert] October 2004

[p3alert@members.cupe.ca]

Hamilton water back in public hands

A decade-long fight against water privatization has ended in a major victory for the citizens of Hamilton. City council has voted to take back operation and maintenance of the city?s water and wastewater treatment plants, ending an era of secrecy, spilled sewage, malfunctioning equipment and a revolving door of corporate contractors.

Health deal leaves door open for private care

The health care deal struck by Canada?s first ministers leaves the door wide open to private, for-profit care. In fact, the threat of privatization was never publicly addressed during the three-day meeting ? a fact that is striking, given three Québec doctors? very public announcement that they were leaving the public system to provide for-profit services. The doctors appear to have the provincial government?s support.

MP Brison has short memory about P3s

Further undermining the federal health care deal, the buzz is now about where the government will find the promised health funds. In one ill-advised scheme, Public Works Minister Scott Brison is considering selling off hundreds of federal office buildings and then leasing them back from the private sector.

Right-wing takes aim at health care workers

The Fraser Institute has renewed its attack on health support workers, this time zeroing in on Ontario. The right-wing think tank has released a report that pushes the privatization of health support work, arguing that workers such as cleaners, cooks, nurses and medical support staff are overpaid compared to the private sector. The report goes on to blame health care workers for eating up hospital budgets.

Gearing up to fight P3s in Québec

CUPE Québec is organizing a special province-wide meeting of all its locals to plan its fight against P3s. The Charest Liberals have been promoting P3s since they came to power, but the pace has picked up with the proposed creation of an agency designed to push P3s. The province?s pro-P3 lobby group, l?Institut pour le partenariat public-privé, says it hopes to have P3 projects underway by mid-2005.

P3 hospitals stumble ahead in B.C. and Ontario

P3 hospital projects are slowly moving ahead in British Columbia and Ontario, but they?re not always living up to their promises of lower costs and on-time delivery.

P3 hospitals canned in N.B. and Alberta

While some P3 hospitals are moving ahead, others aren?t getting off the ground. The New Brunswick government has decided against a P3 to build a $90 million hospital, after announcing last month it was looking at a P3 to build the 70-bed facility. Instead, the province will use the traditional public process.

MFP gets a new handle

The company behind Toronto?s computer leasing scandal has changed its name. MFP Financial Services Ltd. is now known as Clearlink Capital Corp. The company has more than a little mud on its name after a series of lawsuits exposed major problems with its lease financing schemes.

Crime doesn?t pay?and neither do P3s

A city official?s P3-tainted past has come back to haunt him, costing him a new job as Waterloo, Ont.?s chief administrative officer

Go on P3 Alert

P3 Alert is CUPE?s monthly roundup of privatization news. From threats and wins to rumours and early warnings, this electronic bulletin is an important tool in fighting privatization.