Water privatization sucks

My city's mayor is determined to privatize our water service. He and his allies on council say it's for our own good.
Well, I don't think it is good for my city and I wonder if the mayor honestly believes that. I think his concern is what's good for chums in the private sector. That's where his heart is.
Curiously, he won't call his water plan privatization. I saw him get indignant about the term last night on TV.
He contends the public will retain full ownership of the utility, even though it will be controlled by "partners" in the private sector.
That doesn't sound credible to me. I'll call it privatization, because it's taking control out of public hands.
Last night, Winnipeg's "cabinet" or executive policy committee voted to move privatization and commercialization of our water (and sewage treatment, and garbage collection) forward.
The plan may be put before full council for a vote next week, after no meaningful public consultation.
The mayor's cadre on council shrugs at concerns about privatization, when they're not outright dismissing those concerns as the ramblings of out-of-touch lefties or whatever.
Well, this is the future of my city's water at stake here. The mayor and his allies are pushing changes that will be felt for decades to come. Pardon some of us for caring. Forgive us for wanting a full discussion.
Let's examine the issue of accountability for future new fees and policies that the public doesn't like.
Let's talk about whether it's a good idea to have our water utility controlled by a board that includes not one elected official or citizens' representative.
Let's discuss the implications commercializing our water might have under NAFTA, which exempts water from a Chapter 11 challenge as long as it's not "commodified."
Let's see the city spend a six-figure sum on a public information campaign that emphasizes the potential negatives, instead of the positives that were emphasized in a campaign earlier this year.
Let's consider how a privatized water utility trying to increase its revenues might contribute to urban sprawl and all the environmental problems that creates.
Generally speaking, I think privatization of public services sucks.
The mayor's supporters might say that's a closed-minded attitude, but then how open-minded is the mayor's attitude about meaningful public discussion?
Speak up, Winnipeg.