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*Message Subject:

*Message Body: Dear Government of Manitoba, Last July, the City of Winnipeg Council passed a motion to create a Municipal Corporate Utility and asked the Province of Manitoba to “pass a regulation under Section 212 of The City (of Winnipeg) Charter to establish the corporation.” The justification for the new utility is the required – and much-needed – upgrades of the City’s wastewater treatment plants, for which it is seeking to form a partnership with a private, for-profit, multinational corporation. I believe that water is the lifeblood of the environment and that access to clean water is a basic human right. I believe that the value of our water to the common good takes priority over any possible commercial value because it is a sacred legacy, a public trust and a collective responsibility. Therefore, all Manitobans have the right and the responsibility to be involved in major decisions affecting our water. Too many Manitobans do not have access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitation services; this reinforces the need to support, protect and promote these vital public services where they exist. Manitoba’s municipal water systems are among the safest and most cost-effective in the world. Water is not only a foundation of a strong community, but also a key lever of our economy that must not be treated as a commodity. A May 2008 Nanos Research survey of Canadians revealed that 76 percent of respondents trusted public delivery of water more than private for drinking water and sewage treatment. Citizens trust that any responsible public utility is built on a solid foundation of analysis, research, legislation and policy, public consultation, professional input and a commitment to public service. The City of Winnipeg’s request is an opportunity for you to insure that the public interest is protected in every municipal utility in Manitoba – today and in the future. Wastewater treatment, land drainage and flood control are essential to the well-being of every community and are key environmental protection factors. The infrastructure needed to deliver these services represents a huge proportion of a municipality’s asset base and its construction is a vital tool in long-term planning and sustainable development. Regulations must be put into place to safeguard public assets and resources by making certain that civic governments remain ultimately responsible for delivering water and sanitation services and that they will be held accountable for these services. We need legal assurances that this responsibility and these assets and resources cannot be sold, leased, given away or otherwise handed over to any private entity. Regulations must give priority to public benefit over private profit. The public interest cannot be advanced or protected where profit is the determining factor in how a utility is run or how services are delivered. Our water resources must not be sacrificed for profit! We need mechanisms in place to ensure that the cost of water and sanitation services will not increase substantially. Major capital and operational cost savings must be passed on to consumers or reinvested in the service delivery infrastructure. A third-party analysis is a requirement to ensure the accuracy of cost savings projections. Preferential rates to safeguard access to services for all citizens in the service area must take priority over revenue generation! In the absence of a national water policy, strong legislation is needed to protect all of Manitoba’s precious water resources. As an elected leader who manages these resources on my behalf, I call on you to demonstrate your clear, concrete commitment to Manitoba citizens – and to future generations – by promoting and ensuring clean and accessible public water and sanitation services for all. I ask you to confirm this commitment by keeping water and sanitation services publicly owned, publicly operated and publicly financed with a transparent governance structure for the public good and by enshrining this commitment in legislation. Sincerely,

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