Wednesday, April 4, 6:30 p.m., Lakeside Inn, Kenora
Rallies for quality public Developmental Services
Friday, April 6, communities across the province
Every week, OPSEU's We Own It campaign publishes a newsletter called The We Own It Weekly. It's a round-up of news and information about the growing movement to protect communities from privatization.
To receive the newsletter directly, you can sign up for it on the We Own It website. You can also keep in touch with the campaign through its Facebook page and Twitter feed.
And here's the latest issue:
Help us spring to 60,000!
Slowly but surely, spring is starting to spring in communities across Ontario. And spreading right along with the warmer temperatures and the melting snow is our movement for quality public services for all!
More than 57,000 Ontarians have signed up as supporters of our campaign. Help us reach 60,000!
Invite your friends, family, and co-workers to join us!
In the news
Ontario budget a 'missed opportunity' to stop privatization
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, the President of OPSEU, says the Ontario government missed a golden opportunity to close the book on its failed policy of privatization.
"The budget talked about opportunity, but this was clearly an opportunity missed," said Thomas. "It's important for all Ontarians to remember these promises and hold all politicians accountable in the coming months. Together we must demand better; by supporting public services, and stopping privatization."
CTV covers We Own It town hall in Ottawa
People from Ottawa and surrounding communities took their worries about privatization to the We Own It town hall on March 28.
CTV News sent its cameras and covered the event. To see the report, skip ahead on the video to the 4:35 mark.
Hydro accounting is 'bogus' says Auditor General
Ontario's Auditor-General says the government is using 'bogus' accounting techniques when it comes to its decision to privatize hydro, making it impossible for people to figure out the true costs of the unpopular sell-off.
According to The Toronto Star, the A-G's criticisms followed a special audit of the province’s Independent Electricity System Operator in which she determined the accounting methods lowball the cost of the rate relief program to taxpayers by as much as $1.3 billion.
The fight for public water continues in Jakarta
Citizens in Jakarta continue to stand strong for public water. Despite a Supreme Court ruling banning privatized water in the city, the privatizers are still hard at work trying to find a loophole.
But as The Jakarta Post reports, citizens are keeping the pressure on with theatrical street protests. “The privatization has harmed residents as it results in high water costs,” say the citizens.
Philippines politicians move to block health privatization
A group of politicians in the Philippines are working on a law that will outlaw hospital privatizations.
“Health care must be made accessible, affordable and appropriate to the needs of the people," says politician Carlos Isagani T. Zarate in BusinessMirror. "Public hospitals, as part of the public health-care delivery system, must be fully developed and strengthened by the government, not privatized."
We Own It Events
Kenora Town Hall on Public Services
Wednesday, April 4, 6:30 p.m., Lakeside Inn, Kenora
Rallies for quality public Developmental Services
Friday, April 6, communities across the province