Publisher's welcome:
Kicking us in the privates

Read the fine print before embracing privatization holus-bolus

By: Ish Theilheimer, Publisher, Straight Goods

  "Government should run like a business," we often hear. As a jaded consumer, you have to ask, however, "What kind of business?" (as Jim Kempkes asks in this week's web animation) A bargain basement? A dot com merchant of spam? An adult video store?
  Do air travellers need businesses like the recently privatized Air Canada, which, despite monopoly status and all kinds of public support, seems to be losing much of its ethic of consumer services? Michael Janigan of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre begins the first of a four-part series this week on the reality of Canadian air travel in the new millenium.
  Do we want little Walkerton's created in every sector as governments farm out responsibilities to the private sector? That's what's happening to Ontario's environment as a result of the "Common Sense Revolution," as Karen Clark of the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy documents.
  Do we want huge private power companies even more secretive, less accountable, and more inclined to price-gouging than public utilities? Former union boss John Murphy, now with Ontario Power Generation, a privatized child of the former Ontario Hydro, seems to think this is OK, according to Paul Weinberg.
  There are many things private business does well. (I wouldn't want the Wilno Tavern run by the County, for instance. We'd probably have to say the Lord's Prayer before having a beer.) And any government needs to balance the efficiencies of public versus private delivery of different kinds of services.
  When it comes to basic human needs and vital services, though, the privatization trend has gone too far. Energy customers in California are experiencing the disastrous consequences, with blackouts, brownouts and massive price hikes. Travellers in Britain are literally dying as a result of the sell-off of their rail system and subsequent service and maintenance cuts. And here in Canada, we can expect to deal with privatization's downsides more and more as consumers, taxpayers and citizen's.
  What do you think about privatization? Take it up with Larry Solway or take part in the Straight Goods poll and give the public a piece of your mind.

- Ish Theilheimer
- Killaloe, Ontario
- January 15, 2001
- ish@straightgoods.com

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