Privatization, P3s & public services

Seven reasons why you should support a move to low tuition fees for higher education

May 29, 2012
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Much of the media coverage of the Quebec student protests has dismissed the protestors as cranky middle and upper-middle class children trying to protect their unfair privilege. And in fact, the vast majority of today’s university students do come from relatively well-off families. But rather than weakening their position, this supports the protestors’ claims that… View Article

Canadians want higher taxes from the federal budget

Mar 29, 2012
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The Globe and Mail released the results of a new poll they conducted on what Canadian priorities are for the upcoming budget. The findings seem to have stumped at least some of the journalists, judging by their account: What stood out most was the across-the-board call for higher taxes. Yes, you read that right. Respondents… View Article

Tax haven based company buys more BC P3s: British Auditor General questions profits in such transactions

Feb 14, 2012
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Two of British Columbia’s public private partnership (P3) projects have changed hands again and once again the new owner resides in a European tax haven. In a separate but related development, last Friday Britain’s Auditor General released a report questioning very high level of profits for some British P3 projects partially generated by flipping the… View Article

Is it P3s or the 3 Stooges? A tale of two cities

Nov 30, 2011
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For those of us not fond of the expensive and secretive public private partnerships (P3s) promoted by the BC and Canadian governments, the last few weeks have been entertaining. In one community voters rejected the use of a P3 water system. In another community the federal government refused a P3 after the city had spent… View Article

Public private partnerships under increasing attack in the UK

Aug 19, 2011
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While British Columbia continues to invest billions in public private partnerships(P3s), a UK Parliamentary Committee today told its government to “wean itself off the practice.”  The Treasury Select Committee found: We have not seen clear evidence of savings and benefits in other areas of PFI projects which are sufficient to offset this significantly higher cost of… View Article