A report released this morning by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) states that the province is ignoring the risks associated with P3s and keeping information cloaked in secrecy. The report says that government is running a $1.5 billion experiment with public infrastructure.
“P3s are not a way for the government to save money. They take debt off of government’s books and turn it into a long term payment plan for a company,” NDP Leader and economist Alison Coffin said today. “Private companies will always operate to make the largest profits for their stakeholders, and they, do this by reducing the quality of the services”.
The CCPA report outlines that the province will be locked into repayment contracts for 30 years with private companies as they try to cover their investments and maximize profits to their stakeholders. The NL NDP is calling on the government to follow the recommendations from the Muskrat Falls Inquiry and release the Ernst and Young reports that costed the public $5.1 million dollars. Justice LeBlanc, in the spirit of an open and transparent government, called for the Access to Information and Personal Privacy Act to be changed to make commercially sensitive information available to the Information and Privacy Commissioner – and the public.
“We have asked repeatedly for more concrete information as it relates to the Government’s approach to P3s, and each time information was withheld or what was supplied was vague” said Coffin. “Until the Liberal Government can be completely transparent about their justifications for P3s – the processes have to stop. We cannot continue to allow our government to operate in secrecy, to benefit corporations at the expense of our people”.
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), 693-9172 (c), or EddyStCoeur@gov.nl.ca