Protect water as a ‘human right,’ group says

Linda Nguyen, Canwest News Service
Published: Sunday, November 29, 2009


OTTAWA - All levels of government should act now to protect Canada's water resources as they continue to come under threat by privatization and the bottled-water industry, public advocacy groups said Sunday.

A declaration backed by the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Union of Public Employees stressed the need for a national water policy that, among other things, "recognizes water as a human right and a public trust." It also called for investments to be made in watershed planning and management and guidelines for the protection of water quantity and quality in the country.

"The water issue is bigger and more bountiful now than 10 years ago," Paul Moist, the national president of CUPE, said Sunday. "It's an unbelievable blight on all Canadians if there isn't a commitment to water issues."

The declaration asked governments to establish national enforceable guidelines for drinking water, work with First Nations communities to stop water shortages and sanitation problems on reserves, and exclude water as a commodity from the North American Free Trade Agreement and future agreements.

Mr. Moist said at any one time 120 First Nations communities across Canada could be under a boil-water advisory. He also said that allegations that surfaced in Montreal in September over an improper bidding process for water-metre contracts valued at $600 million were another example of the risk water resources could be exploited by the private sector.

"Our elected leaders manage water resources on our behalf as a public trust," added Council of Canadians national chairwoman Maude Barlow in a statement.

"But although our country has abundant natural resources, Canada is actually facing freshwater shortages. It's clear that we need more than talk -- we need a concrete commitment from governments that our water will be protected for future generations."

The groups said the timing of the declaration highlights the need for Canada to emerge as a leader at the upcoming climate-change talks in Copenhagen.

The declaration has been supported by 12 national organizations.