I want to take this opportunity to extend a big congratulations to all those who have been putting together events throughout the province to support our Ambulance Paramedics. Of course, we all know how intrusive and destructive Bill 21 has been for paramedics as well as the terrible precedent it is trying to set in denying the democratic right to free collective bargaining for all workers.

A recent provincial poll by StratCom that we commissioned tells us that British Columbians are as concerned as we are about the state of their ambulance service.

In the past few weeks, Maureen Bader of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has appeared twice in the Vancouver Sun calling for more cost-effective delivery of municipal services.

In the first case (Change municipal budgeting, Oct. 19), she called on municipalities to outsource all kinds of so-called "non-core services" to the private sector.

In the second (Property taxes fund municipal high rollers, Nov. 9), she called on the provincial government to step in and prevent "tax-gouging municipalities" from forcing corporations to pay taxes.

Executive Summary

• CUPE in British Columbia represents 80,000 people working in a wide variety of sectors delivering public services. As citizens they are also very active in their communities.

Labour Day is an important occasion for working people to celebrate our communities and the pride we take in building, serving and sustaining them.

CUPE leader calls for community-based investment revolution

In their zeal against so-called “protectionism”, business leaders who have been pushing Stephen Harper to reach a new free trade agreement on local procurement, as a response to “Buy American” laws in the U.S., have missed the point.

Gordon Campbell’s privatization enforcer, Larry Blain, seems to be getting a little defensive about public private partnerships (P3s). And well he should.

The simple fact that basic financial information about P3s is kept secret from the public should be enough to raise serious questions. But before I deal with that, let me touch on some of Mr. Blain’s points.

BURNABY—During his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” last weekend, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger caught my attention when he began promoting public-private partnerships, or P3s, as the latest fix for the flagging U.S. economy.

“It’s like when you look at British Columbia or other places where they have a public-private partnership, where everyone is happy,” said the former action movie star. “Businesses are happy, the people are happy, labour is happy, the politicians are happy. I mean, everyone is happy.”

The Trade, Investment, and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between B.C. and Alberta, which the Campbell Liberals signed with the Ralph Klein Conservatives, finally comes into full effect on April 1. I can’t think of a more appropriate milestone than April Fool’s Day to observe this event, since the TILMA will make fools of us all once its far-reaching effects become evident in communities across this province.