I just received the 2009 Annual Report of WATER MATTERS, a non-profit Alberta organization that is championing better watershed protection. It is an impressive report with a powerful message on why we need to pay closer attention to protecting our precious water.
I particularly like this quote from chair, Jason Unger “There is a lot of rhetoric about the need to balance our social, economic, and environmental values in Alberta, but the current balancing is a fraud. “Balance” implies equal weight, but the reality is we are off balance, and we are putting too much pressure on our water resources.”
The Bow River in Banff, Alberta
I suspect that claim could be made in almost any jurisdiction in Canada. Even Rob Renner, the Alberta Minister of Environment, is quoted as saying “The water scarcity challenges we face today were not around 100 years ago. We must prepare and adapt.”
WATER MATTERS is doing an excellent job of advocating for Alberta’s watersheds. I think we need that kind of organization in every province in Canada. What do you think?
H2O: Ideas & Action for Canada's Water 
Citizens must be very cautious about these scarcity stories. Most are preambles by Government to convince us we are in trouble. The cure will be to raise the price of our water to curtail use.
The Government is bound to export water under NAFTA. That means they cannot get more for the water than they are charging us and, the Americans get first call on all the water. These are NAFTA basics.
http://albertathedetails.blogspot.com/2010/08/canada-bulk-water-exports-to-us-and.html For the export details.
The Federal Liberals’ Mr. Ignasiaff, known to have spent much of his time in the US and is very Pro US in his thinking seems to be all for this bulk water export under NAFTA!
Pundits place Mr. Ignasiaff as being a professional lecturer in politic with absolutely no experience under foot.
This as is the opinions leaves him very prone to gaffs and this may well be the biggest of them all.
My research has shown only the NDP are against this! For my part, I am not against selling bulk water to the US. I am very much against doing it through NAFTA!
If the US want our water, they will make a deal outside of NAFTA.
By: John Clark on September 30, 2010
at 2:12 am
As to the ownership of water in Alberta. Most of the water is now privatized either through the ownership by cities who can charge whatever they want for it or by individuals; insiders.
The multi millions of gallons that were once the domain of the old Carling Breweries in Calgary and the Calgary Brewing Company are now in private hands for sale.
These holdings are in ground water where as the Elbow River and Bow are glacial runoff. These individuals own more water than does the city of Calgary so you know who Calgary will be buying from
It is possible to change all of this if people can look to something other than a Conservative Government!
By: John Clark on September 30, 2010
at 2:18 am