CUPE reports that, “A Probe Research survey shows that 78 per cent of Winnipeg residents believe that all the details of the 30-year contract the City of Winnipeg entered into with the private contractor Veolia Canada should be made public before the October 27 municipal election.”
“(The poll) shows overall opposition to the Veolia deal is also strong, as 61 percent of Winnipeggers oppose it…”
The Winnipeg chapter of the Council of Canadians has led opposition to the secret deal with Veolia. They have been instrumental in the growing campaign that questions the secret 30-year, $1.2 billion deal signed by the City of Winnipeg and Veolia. With the contract, the private company will design, build and help manage $661 million in upgrades to two wastewater plants.
Winnipeg Sun columnist Joyanne Pursaga wrote on September 25 that, “In that context,it’s no surprise one advocacy group is trying to make the mysterious deal a 2010 civic election issue. The Council of Canadians has filed an official complaint about the wastewater deal with the provincial ombudsman. The city still awaits provincial approval on the deal. The group also requested a copy of the contract under freedom of information legislation, which the city denied.”
More on the Council chapter’s complaint to the provincial ombudsman at http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4666. (link currently unavailable)
More on the poll at http://cupe.ca/water/winnipeg-residents-reject-secret-sewage.
Contributor: Brent Patterson, Council of Canadians Director of Campaigns and Communications