Expensive privatization propaganda

The most effective way to tell the big lie is to repeatedly tell it. Since the 1990’s we have seen government propaganda repeatedly say: we have to modernize, reform and increase competitiveness. We have to unlock and monetize the value of our public assets. We have to incentivize innovation and increased efficiencies through alternative models of ownership.  Then the same false claim is repeated. This will lead to “lower costs” or “lower rates” for you. 

Now being repeated by Prime Minister Mark Carney. In every case of privatization, the record shows you pay a lot more and get a lot less. It used to be, privatization was only done only by Conservatives.

Now the Liberals are privatizers of our public assets, that used to act in the public interest and now will be used to maximize profits for corporations. There are no public demonstrations demanding our airports and our seaports be sold off.

We are now facing two closely related threats. The economic crisis created by Trump and the climate crisis.

There are similarities between Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government and Carney’s government. Both governments passed similar legislation with almost the same name, Ford’s Bill 5 and Carney’s Bill C-5, in the name of fighting Trump. These Bills give both governments the power to bypass environmental assessments, and labor legislation when it comes to infrastructure projects, trampling on democratic rights, particularly First Nations agreements and rights.  One of the biggest propagandas lies is Public Private partnerships (P3)s to fund “Canada Strong” and “Protect Ontario” campaigns. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau created the national P 3 infrastructure bank in 2017 and Ford created his P3 infrastructure bank in November of 2023.

There are three kinds of privatization. First is the outright sale of a public asset or service.  The second is leasing public assets to the private sector. The third and most insidious form of privatization are P3’s. P3’s are now being sold as something ordinary Canadians can invest in.

Given the failures and dismal record of P3’s and public asset privatization here in Canada and around the world it is astonishing governments continue to promote privatization of public assets and infrastructure.  

P3’s are just public relations propaganda to pretty up profit, selling the myth it’s a beneficial way to finance infrastructure. The privatization of long-term care homes where many died from neglect during the pandemic and Highway 407 and Hydro One has left the people of Ontario with no appetite for any more privatization of public assets. The privatization of Connaught labs by former Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney also hurt us severely during the pandemic. 

In the UK, the privatization of rail, electricity and water as well as the P3 privatization of hospitals along with Brexit has made the UK’s economy a complete disaster. New Zealand and Australia also had expensive experiences with P3 privatizations in school and hospital construction. In Europe after privatization failed, by 2010 most water and electricity facilities leased or sold to the private sector were brought back under public control.

With record temperatures, fires and floods, the climate crisis cannot be ignored any longer. Green power and new electrical infrastructure are going to be a critical part of the climate change fight. The people are ready and more than willing to fight climate change if they do not get gouged. Creating a public green power company is not a radical idea.  Nine countries in Europe have introduced public green power companies. So has Australia. In May 2023, even that bastion of capitalism New York State created a public green power company. 

During far worse times, Governments did not privatize public assets during the First or Second World Wars or the Great Depression. They wisely kept those public assets and we worked our way out of those terrible times with a robust public sector and non-profit public enterprise. 

To fight Trump and the climate crisis that is what we must do now.  According to the Auditor General, Ford spent almost $112 million for the 2024-25 year on government advertising and Prime minister Mark Carney has re-allocated $80 million for the next 4 years for government advertising propaganda telling us what great jobs they are doing for us. In effect we are paying for the big lie our governments repeatedly tell us.

 The reality Canadians know is much different. It is profits before people and the planet.

  Government propaganda just hides that fact. A dead planet profits NO ONE

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