by Ellen Wttwaal

Conference MC: Jim McIsaac clean Water Director of the T.Buck Suzuki Envir. Foundation

First Nations Welcome: Earl Claxton Jr., Tsawout FN, and the concern of the First Nations peoples as they see how our lack of understanding of the connections between water and life has led to our dire situation of unsustainability.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

1. Vicky Husband: passionate BC environmentalist especially for water conservation and protection
Climate changes on BC Coast ,more extremes in weather, wetter winters and drier summers.
-Pine beetle devastation is due to warmer winters in the interior. The clear-cut logging of these dying pines is boosting the destruction of the watersheds,so that the spring run-off is denuding the hillsides. This heavy run-off results in poor water quality with the turbidity affecting the life cycles of plants and creatures. It also affects peak flows on the Fraser and other rivers, with flooding, and then much reduced flow in summer and fall, affecting fish runs.
-BC Provincial Government is not addressing what is happening with climate changes. We must make them accountable. How???
-Ground water legislation urgently needed. BC is way behind.
-All need a water ethic for conservation and protection of water: current kind of growth is not sustainable.
-People have to lead, through educating and making governments accountable;
including subsidies so that all have dual flush toilets, low-water showerheads, ways to use gray water, alternatives to pesticide use on lawns and golf courses and watering to keep
them green.
BC Water Waste Association: Sustainability in watershed management, including less asphalt, controlling growth away from urban sprawl.
Vicky Husband's contention is that the water we use, comes not from above, but from the earth.

In another hall, there was a small model of the area, from Royal Oak, down Shelbourne, more or less following the base of the hills to the east, and out to Oak Bay, which was once a major connection of fish-bearing streams. They are still there, in underground systems draining water to the ocean. Why not reopen this corridor for capturing winter water flows, for the fish, and for a connected 'green space' for the people?

2. Dr. Rod Dobell U.Vic.:
Water governance: cross-jurisdictional complexities from global to personal.

Rod Dobell indicated some of the difficulties in getting governing groups to 'get it right' in the face of the present urgency around water. As water is an essential resource it is seen as worth fighting over. Water crosses many boundaries and is an essential part of our complex, social and ecological systems. Institutions must not only 'get it right' but be committed to ACT on those decisions.
He quoted Winston Churchill who wished he only had one hand because those who wanted to avoid action would say: 'On the one hand ... and on the other hand....'
Rod Dobell indicated how scientific analyses tries to rate the various RISKS connected with changing our attitudes and actions around water.
How do we rate the risks between what we have to give up now as we intervene, in order to prevent water shortages in the not-too-distant future?
Are we willing to take the risks between individual self-interests and the needs of the community?
There are social consequences, as we may understand but not be willing to carry out decisions that are our responsibility to our community; but who ensures we carry out this obligation?
There are no universal guidelines. Human rights, small or large are generally seen as interferring, by the advocates of free market orthodoxy.
But many are calling for the U.N. to proclaim water as a human right.
Science as a guide has some technical solutions but shows considerable variations in what will result as a consequence of our actions.
Some research methods and systems are questionable.
Important to ask: who are the policy-makers: and who pays? How do we deal with organizational boundaries?
In a democracy, the politicians/policy-makers, must be swayed by public opinion, with place based governance, specific,provincial,federal,global.
Too often government contracts out services, relies on NGOs and volunteers, based on 'beliefs'; not research or citizen demands. And we can't just blame governments for the incredibly poor management of our waters.
We need a NATIONAL WATER STRATEGY on clean water. Environment Canada says this is not possible as provinces 'own' resources which therefore, they control and legislate.
The PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE is based on core common interests: ethics and economics, with a philosophy of public policies.
We need to balance the socio-economic and the ecological needs.This means often holding two contrary ideas at one time. There are tragic consequences if we decide on one or the other. We must somehow, do both, recognizing the tensions and the needed reconciliations on both sides.
As a result, Rod Dobell said that "we are condemned to keep talking". We must keep our voices heard ,by our families, neighbours, city councillors, MLAs, and MPs so that the right decisions are made and responsibilties are carried out, by us all.

3. Roger Oakley: Island Water Watch and CUPE 401.

Privatization, local to global are called 3Ps: Public Private Partnerships. PARTNERSHIPS BC, a government agency, is urging that any projects over $20 M, be financed as a 3P.
3Ps are happening around the world with many economically poor countries being forced to accept the deals made through the IMF, WB, etc., in order to provide services like water. As in Cochabamba, Bolivia, it has been a disaster for the people and they have rebelled, successfully.
Also governments like Canada are being persuaded to privatize basic services by taking over public services eg. water, sewage, etc. In Maple Ridge it was called 'revitalization' and has been a disaster. The same was true for Hamilton, ON, and when they opted out before the end of the contract, there was a heavy penalty. However, they soon began to recoup their losses when the service was back in the hands of the city.
For profit companies are naturally going to raise rates, and too often, the services they say they will provide, are poorly done in order to increase profits.
Customers are charged 'user fees' and if you can't pay, you don't get the service. It is often more difficult to get information from private companies.
Research has shown that 3Ps generally end up costing more than the same service provided by government, especially because the governing agency loses control, so it is a one sided "partnership".
There is a list of the over 100 worst 3Ps in Canada. Local politicians are influenced by corporation CEOs who are often secretive and whose procedures may be illegal.
Even when services remain government owned, some have taken on the same tactics to reduce costs by lowering wages, laying people off, and reducing standards.
Therefore, it is up to us as citizens to force governing bodies to be accountable and responsible to the people.
We have to be aware:
-of conflicts of interest, as when doctors own laboratories and send their patients to them instead of the public ones.
-when 3P's are now wanting to get the same borrowing privileges as municipalities have.

QUESTION AND ANSWER DIALOGUE:

Vicky Husband said that "BC is for sale" and we must get it back, including our ferries and forests. The BC government looks after companies, not the public interest. She thanked the CRD for their on-going support of the public interest.

A key question: How do we speak to government?

-need to research the real costs and benefits of our particular concern eg. old growth forests. Both are often distorted by governments and the press.

Ask questions: who really benefits from the development of forests and other resources, including water, and the contruction of all the infrastructures to accommodate the current lifestyles of the top and upper middle classes? Also need to examine our own lifestyle eg. how we use water and other resources. Studies show that 'happiness' doesn't come with more money, but with better relationships within families, friends, and the community.

-Join coalition groups and work together.
It takes alot of 'mass and protest' to move governments to accountability.

-invite MLA/MP to local 'forums' where you have control over the agenda.

- Know the issues and then speak out, write, telephone. Respond to letters from the governing agencies. Don't accept their rationale if it isn't rational to you.

-Give good reasons why you don't want more pipelines, tankers on the BC coast, and the selling off of our rivers. Why we don't want
gateway projects or continuing to spend the huge amounts of our tax money for fossil fuel subsidies.

By speaking up, you will be supporting what is being said by the kind of agencies who are represented here today.

How do we inspire children in our aquisitive culture?
With help, they often more readily understand the need to protect the
environment, than grown-ups.

Engage them in local projects to protect watersheds; take them to ponds, streams and the ocean and connect their natural curiosity with the natural world and why they think we need to preserve it.
It only took about 10 years to change attitudes towards smoking, so it is possible!

An initiative encouraged by all speakers was for the payment of a CARBON TAX tied to our CO2 emissions. This will help us move towards alternatives to fossil fuels, more public tranportation, and hopefully affect the love for our vehicles, long showers and green lawns.
Related to this would be changes to the building codes, with the accommodation and urging of alternate heating of buildings and water uses. There should be subsidies paid for by those who increase their efficiencies, whether by retrofitting or building new .
We need to challenge our politicians to work with us to make the urgent major shifts required.
Let them know what is the social capital of our community, called 'indicators', including community cohesion and health- physical, psycho-social, as well as economic; and what we see and assess as our cultural and natural environmental capital. Know the needs and differentiate them from the wants.

4. Ray Zimmerman: local water advocate --Sea to Sea Green Belt Society

Ray began by recognizing the First Nations of this area and that we owe them justice.
He told briefly of the history and successes of local water advocacy. This includes the tremendous diversity of life in the lands from Saanich to Sooke, and without water the diversity will die. He has spent at least 20 years attending meetings. They range from downright boring to exciting and fun. They have connected the members of the community with understanding and working together in challenging government agencies. This is the essential 'keep talking' advice mentioned by Rod Dobell; dealing with tensions and working towards reconciliation. Then changes are possible.

5. John Elliott (addition to the list of speakers gave this talk in the workshop: The Sacred Nature of Water)
John Elliott is from the Tsartlip FN and speaks the Sencoten language, common to the seven FN groups from Saanich to Sooke. John is cousin to Earl Claxton, Jr.
He teaches the language and culture to the FN children and youth of this area along with the few other elders who still know it.
He says it makes no sense to have separate ministries for forestry, fishing, parks, health and even one for Water, Land and Air Protection. These need to work together if there would be justice for the land and its creatures. Water is not somethingseparate but integral to everything else.
We came into this world with the breaking of our mother's water. Water is sacred and to be respected.