Sask Party successful in forcing through privatization bill

REGINA, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - Another Brad Wall election promise was broken today as the Sask Party government used its majority to force through legislation to enable privatization of Crown corporations.

"Bill 40 has one goal: to make it easier to sell off our Crown corporations," said Joie Warnock, Unifor Western Region Director. "Privatization of any fraction of Crown corporations is a betrayal of what Brad Wall told voters in 2016."

Warnock is referring to a promise made by Brad Wall last year during the provincial election. On March 15, 2016 the Premier swore that no amendments would be made to the Crown Corporations Protection Act, yet that is exactly what Bill 40 does.

"Privatizing Crown corporations has failed Manitobans and cost the government hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue that's desperately needed right now," said Warnock. The share sell-off of the Manitoba Telephone Service (MTS) in the 1990s has resulted in higher phone bills compared to Saskatchewan. During the last decade, the Manitoba government only received 0.08% of the revenue that SaskTel has generated for Saskatchewan.

The Sask Party has a long record of privatization, which includes Heritage Gas, Navigata, and DirectWest Canada. Over the last two terms, Brad Wall has also privatized portions of SaskTel via contracting out, including Operator Services, Max Television Service Installations, and Satellite High Speed Internet Service.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 310,000 workers. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged.

SOURCE Unifor

please contact Unifor Communications Representative Ian Boyko at [email protected] or 778-903-6549 (cell)