The fight against private-public partnerships continues, as union members organized another rally opposing proposals in the province’s budget bill.
Employees of the provincial government building on Red River Road held a small rally outside of the building on Thursday to voice their concerns about the province’s plan to outsource ServiceOntario outlined in Bill 55.
“That plan is dangerous,” said Sandra Snider, president of Ontario Public Service Employee Union Local 736.
What most concerns her is that recent private-public partnerships have gone to companies in the United States.
“What that means is your information and my information, the private information on your birth certificate, marriage certificate, death records would be under the Patriot Act and the American government could have access to them at any time,” she said.
“You don’t want that information being given to just anybody,” Snider added.
A private company would also get paid per transaction. Snider fears that could lead to items being pushed through just to reach higher numbers.
“There is less incentive for them to say ‘no, I’m not really sure you are who you say you are and we need more information,’” she said. “That’s what we do every day.”
ServiceOntario generates $2.7 billion in revenue annually and Snider said that money is used by the government for things like education and health care.
If privatized, some of that money would go to the corporations running the service, which would mean less money for those areas.
Bill 55, particularly schedule 28, has had many organizations worried that any government service could become privatized at any time if the bill passed.
Last week finance minister Dwight Duncan has said he will bring forward an amendment to schedule 28 that should clear up any confusion or fear groups may have.
Minister of Natural Resources Michael Gravelle told tbnewswatch.com on Monday the premier has made it clear there is no plan to have a fire sale of government assets.
“Certainly this particular Schedule 28 has obviously created some concern among many organizations,” he said, adding the amendment is likely to come forwards when the budget bill goes to the finance standing committee later this week.
