Keeping climate change on the agenda between heat waves, droughts and ice storms might seem difficult as other current economic-system related tragedies take centre stage. However, we should not leave out climate change and its connection to capitalism when talking about privatizations of infrastructure and the undermining of democratic oversight and control of utilities.
Keeping climate change on the agenda between heat waves, droughts and ice storms might seem difficult as other current economic-system related tragedies take centre stage. However, we should not leave out climate change and its connection to capitalism when talking about privatizations of infrastructure and the undermining of democratic oversight and control of utilities.
Federal Liberals are clearly aiming for Conservative-lite instead of left-of-centre when it comes to the economy and social issues. In addition to this week's shameful support for Bill C-51, Trudeau and has announced his party's support for more privatization of infrastructure and social services, more money for the police state and security services, tax cuts instead of investments to fund child care, and support for oil pipelines.
The Americas' section of the Public Services International met this past week in Mexico City. Hundreds of union delegates representing the entire continental region – from Canada to Chile – discussed a wide range of issues including free trade, attacks on union rights, climate change, retirement security, tax justice and corruption.
Ontario Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne has decided to embrace classic Thatcher (and Harris/Hudak) neo-liberal Conservative ideology for electricity policy. This week, ex-TD banker and new privatization czar Ed Clark released a government report calling for the complete corporatization and privatization of Hydro One. Hydro One is the public transmission and rural distribution arm (also known as 'the grid') of Ontario's electricity system.
It is not just in Ontario that privatization has lead to increased costs. Examples from around the world show partial and whole privatization of electricity assets lead to rate increases.
