>:( Water Eh?

Canadian Water: Eh!

With the free trade agreements come “the good, the bad and the ugly”: Canadian Water Sovereignty?

So, what is Canadas future "happiness" with privatized water going to be?

I have been following "the water story in Canada" for a few years (~15). Just the occasional blurb here and there, more of an interest. I did notice that water stories are very low on the news "totem pole".

I watched the civil unrest in Bolivia and the "failed privatization schemes" with water. I watched how corporations operate: profits first, shareholders second and there is no third. It is also interesting to note that shareholders are getting screwed too these days.

I wonder if the Bolivian government still suggests that its citizens just steal the water? They will not prosecute violations of water theft, so, this leaves me to assert: is such chaos in a privatized model delivering the best quality service? Of course, no.

Insurance companies have clout with governments, but what about water companies? Will they have more clout? I assert yes. Quality is not required on captive markets. This is business 101 for the big boys: Refute at will, on your own time please.

Canadian "trade talks" politics is a joke? Here is the one of most resource rich countries in the world and we trade those resources away with little foresight to our own future or for what we get in return. I mean we, the Canadians. Not the new "tax funded legal adventure into the EU". Looks like Harper has no worries about "softwood 2.0" and how free trade benfits courts and corporations, not citizens. I think we have all that we need in Canada.

I took a "big shot" negotiations training course for the company I worked for. They offered any training I wanted and I took every opportunity they gave me. I loved that course. It was a very expensive: for "automotive executives and vice president types". I was the youngest in the class while most others were top* executives at GM, Ford and Chrysler and also their suppliers.

My Company made big things, some of our products were in the 500 million dollar range, negotiations were complex. Good thing I was not involved in that stuff. I just took the course for my "sprouting green company on the side". But, it did help me in dealing with all of my suppliers at the company. I guess we both benefited.

I took this course very seriously, seems like most took it to “get out of the office for a week and free lunches at the Dearborn Inn.” WWHFHFL :( What would Henry Ford have for lunch )?

I always scored very high in my negotiations "challenges". When others “inked a deal” for a fictitious $100,000, I would close it for $400,000. BOOYA! I scored the highest in most exercises. Why? Because I was stupid.

Although my deals were "worth" the most, they were also the most unrealistic: my customer would have gone out of business, but, man, my bonuses would have rocked!

I lacked experience, but, it was fun to put the “big numbers on the board" and get the feedback from the instructors wondering: who is this canuck anyways? Fun and I got paid to do it. It was also entertaining to see the look on the face of the dudes that shook my hand earlier, after the numbers were put up. Beating "the best" was fun, but, immature. I even skipped 3 lunches to work on strategy.

I learned a lot: mostly that “a pathetic executive that is looking forward to lunch” was my "easy breakfast snack".

Negotiations are a tough game. “Honest” negotiations are harder. When both sides benefit, that is the perfect “balance”. A strong customer benefits your business! It is called sharing? Yes. The more each side shares, the better and stronger the relationship. This is what experience has taught me, when inking contracts in the real world. You just have to make sure your product will make money: That is my captialism 101.

I have always tried to establish strong relationships with all my customers: not many left in Ontario. That is a fact. Most companies failed to innovate: too expensive "they" said, so they outsourced. Some would blame a McGuinty government, but, ownership and responsibility was directly in the hands of the business owners: they failed to invest and innovate.

What was more sad was visiting places that you knew would be out of business in short order. Such "smart" business models these people had. At least they had that fresh young look, so they could all get jobs at their next MBA-abomination. You know who you are. I wonder if they went to lunch at that new local food menu joint afterwards. I assert yes, because we did.

Sorry Kevin O'Leary, "your free markets crew" was too stupid to comprehend the future value of "being in business to make profits".

Innovation is money: Europe is innovation savvy, Canada is innovation impaired. Sorry Canada: that is a fact. Canadian executives and their cookie cutter mentality: look at the environment they were raised in: razed on. That is evolution folks. Funny how most good Canadian products are used elsewhere other than Canada. Why is that? Have any clues?

My "Canadian Dream" is a "healthy green Canada" not Kevins' "heartless profiteering". So, what is the risk in not investing in water Kevin, or, are you just reporting like "Cramer" and his Mad money? Maybe Kevins "little soldiers" do not have "to kill"?

As an aside, Kevin invested in some poor green energy "concept ideas". I was laughing at Kevin: Kevin is one stupid investor, but, a great marketer. Must give credit, just wish he changed fields. I guess our R&D tax credits make it all okay, Kevin gets "cash to investigate".

We should open Canada for Free Trade with the EU? What are the conditions. Will we ever know?

North American Free Trade is debatable, yes, seems more of a "law based economy of government protectionism" but these folks are our direct neighbors. I like local! But, does free trade help in a local sense?

Would Kevin be out of business in a Global Free Trade Market? Yes, he would be. That is a fact. I am sure Bay Street misses those Ontario companies that floated billion dollar cash flows and bloated bay street culture. I wonder if "they" will outsource "management of remaining pensions" to country "X", sure, and "they" will pocket the difference.

So, Canada, what do we get for "lots of oil", water and other "golden natural resources"?

The things that are destroying our planet! See, Canada is unique in that we will enable the “next level of consumerism”: the global resources to make the crap we do not need most of the time.

Maybe George was right? Regardless, I will stay on my green tact: that is a fact jack.

Must give Kevin O'Leary the warm and fuzzies to know that he might be able to invest in Toronto water? Oh wait ... no, all the "expert companies" are in Europe. Canadian companies will not have a chance. I am unaware of any in existence. I guess Kevin can always invest in the company that will screw him. That is what free markets operate on. I jest?

These water deals “they” do not tell “us” about. There is big** money and power behind water right now. Don't believe me? That is your choice.

I do know that filling your swimming pool will cost you a lot of money. And of course, the big companies will pay less than the taxpayers. That is economic innovation: taxpayer funded "welfare for corporations".

The reality is that cities, like Toronto, have ageing water systems. See, politicians have not invested in the water infrastructure. They kind of “forgot about that”, but, they are busy updating our garbage cans from "reliable stainless steel designs" to “ breakable-plastic, ever-so-cool-fashionista-designs” and the other “more important issues than drinking water”.

Did you know that the City of Toronto cannot afford to update its own water system? Why? They failed to invest in "important infrastructure", but, the 407 was pure business genius. So, this leads me to ask: did Toronto willingly let the water infrastructure "slowly fail"? I do not know. All I see is a huge “opportunity” for companies looking for "private water salvation" targets.

Perhaps Harper should have invested in water, instead of upgrading roads with more "oil products and GHG dirty concrete". Now you can see the difference between stimulus for corporations and stimulus for citizens?

All levels of government wants public water to fail? Do they have a choice? Has Rob Ford studied this issue extensively or is he secretly working on "highschool football" plays?

People are always saying that governments are unable to operate such entities: leave it to the private sector. I am sure Kevin O'Leary would agree. What I am concerned with is the realities and results of private water. Poor and disadvantaged Canadians already swimming in debt having to pay reconnection charges for water. Will this put some over "Niagara Falls"?

The reconnection charges in Bolivia were several months wages. Poor people suffered without water.

Do our government officials have "the balls to negotiate smart", or are they looking at the lunch menu?

Enjoy!

* the same “experts” that ruined GM, Ford and Chrysler.

** really big



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