Is our Provincial Government above the law?
That is what Nova Scotia Federation of Labour President Danny Cavanaugh is asking after attending today’s release of the CCPA-NS report “Shrouded in Secrecy-The Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Redevelopment and the Privatization of Nova Scotia’s Health Care Infrastructure”.
“Why would the Government withhold the value for money audit from taxpayers who deserve to be informed? We just can’t take the government’s word on this. The request for proposals should also be released so taxpayers can see how in-depth this privatization scheme will go and how much control the corporation have over the delivery of health services at the hospitals.
“The McNeil Government campaigned on being the most open and transparent government in Nova Scotia and that is far from the truth,” Cavanagh says.
He went on to question the commitment to any effective oversight and accountability within the government to protect Nova Scotia’s interests ahead of the private-public partnership or corporate interests.
We have a history of P3 disasters in Nova Scotia including P3 schools and the Cobequid Pass which cost taxpayers dearly.
The Nova Scotia Government claims that private-public partnerships offer more value for money and are more reliable in delivering the services on time are false, as shown in the by the CCPA – NS Report. Data on P3 project audits done in Ontario also support this.
“Taxpayers will pay an estimated 125 per cent more than if this project were financed publicly.
“If this government moves ahead with the P3 build for this development, we deserve to see accountability and answers on why the government of Nova Scotia is not following its own procurement law by posting the requests for proposals to the procurement website in accordance with legislation. This government is not above the laws it creates and needs to be held accountable,” says Cavanagh.
