Quoting Dr. Mary LeMaître from January 13, 2010 email:
Greetings, Water Watchers!
In the next few weeks City Hall will select one of three private companies to become a partner in our Waste Water Services. The company chosen would receive up to 49% shares in our waste water services and would design, construct, finance, and operate our water treatment plants.
(N.B. The mayor agrues that our waste water services will remain 100% publically owned. By this he means that the building and the pipes will still belong so us. This still gives the private company control and profit. This is a form of privatization called a P3: Public-Private-Partnership)
Why is this bad? There is a growing world water shortage and private companies are trying to gain control of water and waste water services. They know that there is great profit to be made. They often start gaining control of municipal water systems by starting with waste water services.
Entering into such a contract would also open up NAFTA and put our water and waste water services at risk.
What can we do?
It is very important that we all speak up and let city council know that Winnipeggers are opposed to this plan and that we want our water services to remain in the public’s hands. If we say nothing, we will end up with a thirty-year contrct with a private partner.
Please contact your city councillor and let him/her know that you are opposed to the city chosing a private company as a partner: http://www.winnipeg.ca/council/
Councillors Swandel, O’Shaaughnessy, Steves, Pagtakhan, Browaty, Fielding, Nordman, Clement, and Lazarenko are supporting the mayor’s plan to sign on a private partner.
Attend the Winnipeg Citizen’s Coalition’s AGM next Tuesday, January 19, 6:30 pm at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate’s Convocation Hall: http://ourwinnipeg.org (link no longer available)
Visit the Council of Canadians’ Winnipeg Chapter website for more information on the three private compnaies and on water privatization in Winnipeg: www.canadianswinnipeg.com (link no longer available)
Look for opportunities to speak in front of EPC. Jan. 20: 9:00-12:00- EPC meeting. * This is the most likely time for Mayor to introduce vote on Strategic partner to EPC.
Ask everyone you know to contact their city councillor.
Included in this email (below and attached) you will find the Manitoba EcoNet water bulletin with updated info on what is happening with our waste water services, a Free Press article on City Hall’s plans, as well as an attached poster.
Please circulate widely!
Yours truly,
Dr Mary LeMaître, Chair, Development & Peace, Archdiocese of Winnipeg, and Water Watch
* New information indicates that the EPC will not vote on the three companies until February. Regardless of whether they meet in two weeks or in four, it is important to contact your city councillor as soon as possible to let him or her know that you are opposed to the city choosing a private partner for our waste water services.
Click here for the Manitoba EcoNet water bulletin (link no longer available)
Click here for Winnipeg Free Press Article “A city utility plan that kept getting murkier” By: Bartley Kives
Click here for Private Partners Poster (link no longer available)