Protest targets privatization conference; new poll shows strong support for public services USA - English
TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2017 /CNW/ - Supporters of public services will rally outside a major privatization conference Monday to highlight a new poll showing that more than two-thirds of Ontarians want to keep their public services public.
| Date: Monday, November 6, 2017 |
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| Time: 12 noon to 1 p.m. |
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| Place: Southwest corner of Nathan Phillips Square, across from Sheraton Centre Hotel |
"The evidence is clear: public services cost less and deliver more," says OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "That's why more than two-thirds of Ontarians with an opinion want strong public services, not more privatization.
"We're coming out to tell the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships that people in this province aren't buying what the privatizers are selling – and we definitely don't want to sell what they want to buy."
A public opinion survey done late last month by Nanos Research on behalf of OPSEU found that 68 per cent of Ontarians somewhat or strongly oppose privatization. A similar poll in December 2016 by Ipsos found that 63 per cent somewhat or strongly oppose privatization.
"The longer we have to suffer from terrible privatizations like what has happened with hydro and Highway 407, the more people recognize the benefits of public services," said Thomas, whose union launched the We Own It campaign for public services last year.
"More than 42,000 Ontarians have already signed up as supporters of the We Own It campaign," says Thomas. "During our rally, we're going to make sure that politicians and privatizers understand that support for public services is strong and growing."
To view complete information on the Nanos research, visit http://bit.ly/2hC6EMn
SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, 613-329-1931
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