THINK ABOUT IT
Discuss the following questions with the other people in your group:
- Why do you think governments might consider public-private
partnerships for the provision of water services?
- What promises do you think private corporations might make in
order to convince governments that privatization is the answer to
good water service?
- Who do you think gains from privatization of water? How?
who loses? How?
MAKING A PRESENTATION
With the other members of your group prepare a 5 to 10 minute
oral presentation using information from the article. Your responses
to the discussion questions may help you organize your presentation.
Use a map to show where England and Wales are located.
Be sure to explain terms that may be unfamiliar to your listeners.
Use a flipchart if you like. Be prepared to answer questions.
NAFTA VS. Canadian control of Water
- Read silently.
- Read aloud.
- Discuss.
Canada already permits the sale and export of bottled drinking water.
unfortunately, we lack a comprehensive national water policy and
legislation prohibiting the bulk export of freshwater. On December 4,
1998, in British Columbia, Sun Belt Water, Inc., a U.S. company,
launched a lawsuit against Canada under the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA). Sun Belt is suing Canada because the government of
British Columbia prevented Sun Belt from exporting billions of litres of
freshwater from B.C. to California. Last year, the Nova Group of Sault ste.
Marie announced it had been given a five year permit from the Ontario
government to draw up to 10 million litres of fresh water a day from Lake
Superior for export to Asia. A few months later, the Mccurdy Group of
Gander announced it was applying to export 52 billion litres of water a
year from Gisborne Lake in southern Newfoundland. Under NAFTA,
Canada could lose control of its fresh water once it becomes a tradable
commodity. The Nova Group has since withdrawn its application, on the
understanding that it will be first in line at Lake Superior if water ever
does become tradable; the Newfoundland application is still being
considered.
Our government should:
- First, introduce an immediate moratorium on the bulk export of
Canadian freshwater to stop further export threats.
- Second, make legislation prohibiting large-scale water exports.
- Third, open negotiations to exempt water from NAFTA, or, even better,
kill the NAFTA deal completely.
- Fourth, develop a broad national water policy that keeps ownership
and control of Canada's fresh water in public hands.
- Fifth, join with other countries and progressive organizations to
promote more efficient use and maintenance of local freshwater
supplies.