Water and Food Workshop

131. National Water Policy:  Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario)

WHEREAS water is a finite resource that is under increasing strain, and only 1% of Canada’s water supply is renewed annually; and,

WHEREAS Health Canada estimates unsafe drinking water causes 90,000 illnesses and 90 deaths every year and municipalities issue hundreds of boil water advisories each year primarily due to water contamination; and,

WHEREAS the interests of foreign corporations investing in water or whose investments require the use, consumption or pollution OF WATER are protected under the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade agreements; and,

WHEREAS the governments of Canada, the United States and Mexico have reportedly discussed bulk water exports, AND various provinces have considered licensing schemes for such exports; and,

WHEREAS the existing water protection measures in Canada are inadequate to meet the increasing strains presently imposed on water resources; and,

WHEREAS public control over our fresh water is crucial to Canada’s future wellbeing and prosperity; contributing to our national heritage, environment, human rights and freedoms;

WHEREAS municipalities are in desperate need of adequate funding to maintain, upgrade and build new water and wastewater infrastructure;

BE IT RESOLVED that Canada establish a National Water Policy that would protect water from commodification, and from international agreements that would undermine the authority of the Canadian government and citizens by introducing binding legislation to ban bulk water exports; and committing the federal government to enter talks with the U.S. and Mexico to exclude water from NAFTA and all future trade agreements; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a National Water Policy establish enforceable national clean water standards adopted by all provinces and territories to monitor contamination, water quality, and commit the federal government to an investment plan for municipal water infrastructure; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a National Water Policy enshrine water as a human right to ensure that all people living in Canada are legally entitled to safe, clean, drinking water and water for sanitation in sufficient quantities; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a National Water Policy must implement a comprehensive conservation strategy and invest in water resource research, monitoring and a comprehensive national hydrometric network and water survey of all significant watersheds in Canada.

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