Privatization of water, services and other public infrastructure will be the topic when the Stand Up For the North Committee hosts a community
meeting next month.
The meeting, entitled Keep It Local, Keep It Public, will include the short film Water Makes Money to be followed by speakers from Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and Stand Up For the North, a local union-based group.
"The discussion will focus on how communities in B.C. are empowering themselves to ensure that water services and other infrastructure remains public," organizers said in a press release.
"One recent example is the successful referendum to defeat a proposal that would have privatized water operations in Mission-Abbotsford. In addition, there is the ongoing national campaign against the compulsory privatizations being imposed on communities by the Harper government through 'P-3' funding requirements."
A trade agreement the federal government is negotiating with the European Union will also be on the agenda.
"According to various reports, the agreement could make it easier for European multinationals to take over some types of municipal services in Canada, such as water operations," organizers said.
"In addition, the ability of municipalities to insist on 'buy local' or 'buy Canadian' clauses in their procurement policies could be hampered or blocked."
The get-together is set for March 7 at the College of New Caledonia, room 1-306, 7 p.m. start.
