EDITORS NOTE: The articles below have been sent to me by the Greater Victoria Water Watch Coalition.

The Montreal Gazette reported (June 6) that, "The provincial government is moving ahead with plans to enshrine in law the policy that water belongs collectively to the people of Quebec but is holding off until 2009 on plans to collect royalties from the big consumers. Sustainable Development and Environment Minister Line Beauchamp tabled a bill yesterday in the National Assembly that, if adopted, will provide a legal framework for the use of the province's surface and groundwater by declaring it a 'collective resource that is part of the common heritage of the Quebec nation.' Beauchamp stressed the move does not amount to the nationalization of water, because that implies the province would own it when, in fact, the government's philosophy is that it belongs to all 7.5 million Quebecers."

The full article is at, http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=a5896aee-822d-423a-adec-ee2d09061f17

Canadians want public, not private, services: New Nanos poll -May 29, 2008
OTTAWA - A new national study shows a majority of Canadians trust their municipal government more than private corporations to deliver public services.

Respondents to the survey, conducted by Nanos Research for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), were given nine public services and asked who they would trust more to provide the service: their municipal government and its employees or a private corporation.

A majority of Canadians said they trust their municipal government more for all nine public services: sewage treatment (75.8%), drinking water treatment and delivery (75.5%), http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2008/week22/Thursday/0529030.html

Living Water Smart – BC Government new Environmental Plan.
Actions at a Glance: http://www.livingwatersmart.ca/actions.html

A few items from the long list. Note: nothing about the collective right to water or keeping water systems PUBLICLY owned & managed.

Doing Business Differently

1. By 2012, all land and water managers will know what makes a stream healthy, and therefore be able to help land and water users factor in new approaches to securing stream health and the full range of stream benefits.
2. By 2012, water laws will improve the protection of ecological values, provide for more community involvement, and provide incentives to be water efficient.
3. Legislation will recognize water flow requirements for ecosystems and species.
4. Government will require all users to cut back their water use in times of drought or where stream health is threatened.
5. Government will limit all new licences to 40-year terms in areas where there is high demand and pressure on water.
6. The Ground Water Protection Regulation will protect the quality and quantity of our water.
20. Adapting to climate change and reducing our impact on the environment will be a condition for receiving provincial infrastructure funding.
24. Government will provide incentives for restoration of streams or wetlands.
25. Green developments waiting for provincial environmental approvals will be fast-tracked and given priority.
27. Government will improve the quality and protection of drinking water sources.

Choosing to be Water Smart
29. Fifty percent of new municipal water needs will be acquired through conservation by 2020.
30. Government will look at new ways to help promising water conservation technology succeed.
31. Government will fund household evaluations of water, energy and transportation use.
32. The Green Building Code will require water conservation plumbing fixtures such as low flush toilets.
33. By 2010, government will mandate purple pipes in new construction for water collection and re-use.
34. In partnership with industry, government will develop a water efficiency labelling system for water consuming products.

38. Government and First Nations’ treaty water negotiations and other related agreements support providing a clean and safe domestic, agricultural and industrial water supply for First Nation communities.
39. Government will continue to work toward preserving First Nations’ social and cultural practices associated with water.




Maude Barlow recipient of Canadian Lifetime Achievement Award, for her work for water. Prior to awards presentation she joined protesters against Shell (a major sponsor of the awards) and in her acceptance speech spoke against the Shell plans for the sacred headwaters in Northern BC. She donated the money from the awards to the First Nations groups fighting the threat to their waters.

More details on www.canadians.org