World to Canada - Secure the Right to Water
Canada must recognize the right to water at the United Nations, reversing our country's shameful position on this crucial issue. Access to safe, clean drinking water is a fundamental right. The right to safe water is also an issue in Canada, particularly for First Nations communities.
Canada must stop promoting water privatization through public private partnerships. Your government's Building Canada plan pushes municipalities into P3s for water and sewage services, while delivering almost no new money to cash-strapped communities. P3s are bad public policy, an unwise use of tax dollars and lack accountability and transparency. Instead, cities and towns need increased federal funding to maintain and expand public water and wastewater systems.
Canada must ban bulk water exports and withdraw water from trade deals. Canada has a voluntary provincial ban on bulk exports, but any province could break it any time. In recent years, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador have all considered exports, and trade deals such as NAFTA and the Security and Prosperity Partnership have put water back on the table.
Canada needs a national policy that protects Canadian water from commodification, diversion, bulk exports and privatization. This policy would outlaw bulk exports, set national drinking water standards and increase federal funding to maintain and expand water systems. A comprehensive policy will address pollution and scarcity, both of which threaten our water systems and supplies. Canadian drinking water standards should also be applied to bottled water.
Finally, Canada must live up to its international commitments to meet the Millennium Development Goals by increasing its aid to fight poverty and promote public services - not privatization. I call on your government to deliver a plan to raise Canada's aid to 0.7 per cent of our country's gross national income by 2015. Public services like water and sanitation are key to ending poverty in the global South, especially for women and girls.
Canada must recognize the right to water at the United Nations, reversing our country's shameful position on this crucial issue. Access to safe, clean drinking water is a fundamental right. The right to safe water is also an issue in Canada, particularly for First Nations communities.
Canada must stop promoting water privatization through public private partnerships. Your government's Building Canada plan pushes municipalities into P3s for water and sewage services, while delivering almost no new money to cash-strapped communities. P3s are bad public policy, an unwise use of tax dollars and lack accountability and transparency. Instead, cities and towns need increased federal funding to maintain and expand public water and wastewater systems.
Canada must ban bulk water exports and withdraw water from trade deals. Canada has a voluntary provincial ban on bulk exports, but any province could break it any time. In recent years, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador have all considered exports, and trade deals such as NAFTA and the Security and Prosperity Partnership have put water back on the table.
Canada needs a national policy that protects Canadian water from commodification, diversion, bulk exports and privatization. This policy would outlaw bulk exports, set national drinking water standards and increase federal funding to maintain and expand water systems. A comprehensive policy will address pollution and scarcity, both of which threaten our water systems and supplies. Canadian drinking water standards should also be applied to bottled water.
Finally, Canada must live up to its international commitments to meet the Millennium Development Goals by increasing its aid to fight poverty and promote public services - not privatization. I call on your government to deliver a plan to raise Canada's aid to 0.7 per cent of our country's gross national income by 2015. Public services like water and sanitation are key to ending poverty in the global South, especially for women and girls.
I thought access to clean/safe water and housing on reserves would have happened by now. Progress must be made during this generation.
Water is so essential to life, it is such a sacred gift, that nothing short of the utmost due diligence both in creating law and following it is required to protect this staple of life for ourselves, future generations and the blossoming of the fullnes of Creation. Thank You for doing everything you can to update and make The Federal Water Policy the most loving document in the protection of this sacred trust as you can. Peace The Rev. Philip Cable
I firmly believe that the Government of Canada and all the provinces nned to make water a right not a need, water is a right and rights are not for sale
Please.....let's not give away any more of our fundamental rights for the sake of trade.
I've always been a proud Canadian. Please let me continue being one.
I support every human being's right to water as a basic universal human right and the commodifying and privatization of water as wrong. This basic universal human right resonates with the voice of a Holy Prophet thousands of years ago who emerged from the wilderness of the middle east & said ..."I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink..." Matthew 25: 35
this is OUR #1 resource!
Giving in to the US in terms of water is just one more way politicians make our country look weak and vulnerable to the world at large. By standing firm to our convictions, we can better protect our resources, our people and our way of life! Take a stand, don't give our legacy away!
And stop the misuse and abuse of huge quantities of pristine western water in the process of extracting oil from the oilsands.
This is a crucial issue for Canada. We need to protect our water resources for future generations.
This is a must Gary Brown Natural Resource Issue Advocate Green Party of Ontario
Water should not be allowed to be owned, let alone bought and sold to the highest bidder. There are poor people without running water living not 3 hours from Vancouver. This is totally unbelievable. Make us proud to be Canadian!
It is unbelievable that such basic, common sense issues as these are even up for debate. It only demonstrates the incredibly inappropriate power of the tiny number of people who benefit by opposing these and other similar democratic, humanitarian ideals and policies. Get on board or get out of the way!
I an horrified with the position taken by the Harper government. Water should be neither privately owned nor controlled. Rather, it must be regarded as a public resource to which all have a right. As well, I am totally opposed to selling water for profit.
Public distribution of water can be both more efficient and fairer than putting it into private hands. Keep ownership public.
Water, like air is something we take for granted. Please invest time and resources to ensure safe drinking water for people and species around the globe. Water should not be sold for profit. It is a basic right/need. Sincerely, Teresa Rutten
The stupidity of human beings is manifesting itself these days. If cars and computers, if a house and a university education, if a big bank account and the weaponry required to secure it are more important than water for everyone, we must accept that we belong to an insane species. We are nuts.
A few years ago my father was visiting an old schoolchum in California. When the talk turned to water exports, my fathers' friend said to him "If we (the US of A)want your water, we'll just take it!" This is the attitude of the US population in general, and business in particular.Our water needs protection. Now.
Once again I am ashamed at a position taken by the Harper government. Water should be neither privately owned nor controlled. Rather, it must be regarded as a public resource to which all have a right. As well, I am totally opposed to the export of water to the United States.
The corporate world would love to monitore our every breath - and charge us for it. Totally unnecesary for this new theoretical religion - economic growth. JUST ACCEPT IT ON FAITH.
As free peoples of a democratic society we need to show what it means to provide for the public, to be responsible to the people and to protect the future of your citizens. Water needs to be declared a human right. Water needs to be kept in the secure hand of the public and must not be sold as a commodity to and or by the business market. Efforts should also be made to conserve the clean fresh water we have and not be used for large industrial efforts such as extracting oil from the Tar Sands or watering large industrial agricultural farms. Angela
