Things that should never have been privatized (& for profit)
1. Education
2. Prisons
3. Health care and mental healthcare
4. Essential utilities, especially water and electricity
5. Retirement
6. Emergency services (fire and rescue)
7. Safety (especially allowing companies to 'self regulate')
8. Military

Just remember, 99 times out of 100, once a company goes 'public', shareholders' profits become more important than ANYTHING.

@Darkphoenix I’m curious your thoughts on retirement and housing. In Canada, the government provides a pension. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to survive. If you want a better retirement, you save and invest for yourself. Almost a universal basic retirement income. Could housing be provided in a similar way? The government would provide something basic, but if you want bigger or better, you have to rent or buy it yourself? Would that make sense? Does any country do that?

@roberthurdman
Several countries have a guaranteed basis income, that may or may not be enough to live on. (My understanding was that it was, but I didn't do any in depth research)
United States has Social Security which used to be a lot closer to being liveable. Their cost of living calculations are woefully behind actual cost of living increases.
Personally, I am in favor of giving retired people enough to live on, reasonably. Housing here in the US is a nightmare, especially on a limited income. Yes, I would be in favor of providing basic housing, but here, the one program we have for subsidized housing, 'section 8', has one massive flaw, that has so tied up the system, that the wait-list is over 10 years. The massive flaw is that there is no 'exit strategy'. It is supposed to be income based, however, once you get in, you are set. So if you were to get a much better job, the govt still pays your rent. Since there is a finite budget, this screws people who are really in need.

@Darkphoenix A good explanation. I wonder if we provided enough housing, maybe an exit strategy wouldn’t be necessary. Because everyone could have a basic flat or apartment, but if they want a villa or a farmhouse or a penthouse or a gated community, they give up their government flat and pay out of pocket. But I think you’ve pointed out that we don’t have nearly adequate stock of housing to even come close to that scenario.

@roberthurdman
While the obscenely wealthy keep buying up 4th and 5th vacation houses in rural areas driving up prices til the locals can no longer afford to live there. And those homes sold to the rich are lucky if they have tenants more than a week a year. Therefore they put next to nothing into the local economy, which they destroy.