Water supply being drained
Kerry Benjoe, Leader-Post
Published: Friday, November 02, 2007
A noted Canadian author and activist said people need to act now to save Canada's freshwater supply.
Water mining, melting glaciers and pollution are having a negative impact on Canada's freshwater, said Barlow.
"Are we insane? Are we going to be the species that monitored its own extinction?" Barlow said, about how the world is treating its water supply.
She was in Regina on Thursday for the sixth stop on her national book tour for Blue Covenant. Barlow said the book is a follow-up to her international bestseller Blue Gold. She said it was time to not only update the information, but to make people more aware about the subject.
Barlow first became involved in protecting Canada's water after Canada signed the North American Free Trade Agreement, which included water.
"Water is not a commodity like chairs or lamps, it is different and we have to recognize that," said Barlow.
She's urging the government to act now to protect and preserve Canada's water for future generations. One way to do so is by developing a national water policy and strategy to protect its water ecologically and politically.
"I have my fingers crossed that this book will make a difference," said Barlow. "I'm hoping the book will make people act (and) help governments to act."
In her book she says about two billion people are living in parts of the world where water shortages are a reality. The world is running out of fresh water and things are only going to get worse if the world continues to do what it's doing.
"Our abuse, displacement and mismanagement of water is one of the causes of climate change," said Barlow.
She suggests an alternative water future which she calls the blue covenant. The three parts to the plan include a water conservation covenant, a water justice covenant and a water democracy covenant.
"My dream would be that the governments of the world would bring together an emergency summit like they have for climate change and the way they have for HIV/AIDS," said Barlow.
She said it's not all doom and gloom because there are answers. Barlow said people need to start living with the land and the first step is through preservation and conservation of our water supply.
"If we don't learn to value water and nature the way First Nations people do, we will die. We can't last," said Barlow.
Barlow said part of the covenant is to challenge the discrepancy between the rich and the poor because everyone has the right to life. In her travels she has seen what can happen when water does become scarce and is treated as a commodity by businesses. Those who are the first suffer in that type of system are the poor. She believes water should be made available to all people.
"We have been working with the churches for instance who are really pushing our government to support the notion that water is a human right," said Barlow.
She said big companies are in it to make money and are not there to provide a service. Barlow says people can make a difference by forcing the government to act.
"Everybody has a fundamental right to clean water," said Barlow.
People can find out more about the water situation in Canada by going to www.canadians.org.
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