With the Conservatives in charge, our country is turning into a giant auction where even our best-kept treasures are being put up for sale. Yes, that’s right; even the Canadian Rockies aren’t safe. Earlier last year, Parks Canada announced its plans to privatize the operations of three of its most iconic attractions: the hot springs in Banff, Jasper and Radium.
Last week, our members met with the local community in Jasper to find out what they thought of commercializing the hot springs — a consultation the government failed to do. Under privatization, the union expects an increase in fees or a decrease in the standards of service. That’s what happens when you take a national treasure and reduce it to a giant money-making machine.
“We opened up the floor for people to comment and ask questions,” said Marianne Hladun, Regional Executive Vice-President of the PSAC’s Prairie Region. “It was an opportunity to see if what we were thinking was accurate.”
According to Hladun, the Jasperites’ opinions were absolutely in sync with our own. Many were concerned the hot springs would turn into a playground for the elite, with spa pricing making it harder for working-class Canadians to afford.
“Fifty years ago last August, we celebrated our honeymoon at the Miette hot springs [in Jasper],” said one resident. “The reason we celebrated there was because it was the most reasonable place we could find after going to university.”
“We stayed at the cabin with the tent tops… but unfortunately they had bunk beds,” she added to much laughter from the crowd at the meeting.
The woman also expressed her concern that the commercialization of the hot springs will prevent future generations from enjoying the hot springs as her family did.
Recently, her daughter got engaged while walking along the trails surrounding the Miette hot springs.
“We love the hot springs,” she said. “It’s turned out to be a wonderful place for us.”
Help us stop the privatization of our national treasures. It only takes a few seconds to send an email to your MP using the PSAC Prairies website.