New Law Would Ban Water Removal On Environmental Grounds

The report includes model federal legislation that its authors contend would head off possible NAFTA and World Trade Organization challenges over a Canadian prohibition on bulk exports by making the environmental protection of water resources the key reason for the law. "This may present one of the last opportunities for Canada to effectively control its water, to have sovereign control over its water," said Adele Hurley, director of the Munk Centre's program on water issues. The draft legislation was devised by some of the country's top water experts, including Ralph Pentland, former director of water planning and management at Environment Canada, Frank Quinn, a special adviser on water transfers to the International Joint Commission, and Owen Saunders, executive director of the Canadian Institute of Resources Law at the University of Calgary. The report and the proposed legislation will be released today, and they will add strength to some environmental organizations' argument that Canada's water is in danger of being sold to slake the thirst of a parched world. ... http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080206.wwater06/BNStory/National/home

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