DOES POLITICS OFTEN DERAIL PPPS IN CANADA?

CR: No, not anymore. There have been some volatile debates at the municipal level on issues like water PPPs. Along with medicare, Canadians seem to have a very strong affinity for "public" water/ wastewater systems. And the opposition to these projects, often coordinated by public sector unions, plays on those feelings. But there are terrific examples of successful PPP water/wastewater projects in places like Brockton (formerly known as Walkerton), where an awful tragedy occurred with tainted drinking water provided through a public entity. So we're seeing fewer debates where ideology trumps reason, and more cases where political leaders just want to get better value for taxpayer dollars.