Canada's vast fresh water resources won't feel the pinch as a result of the United Nations passing a resolution to declare water and sanitation as a basic human right, says a Canadian water activist.
Maude Barlow, who previously served as a senior adviser to the United Nations General Assembly on the water issue, said Wednesday that the "historic" passing of a Bolivia-led resolution, on which Canada abstained from voting, has no physical impact on Canadian water supplies.
"Canada, whether it voted for or against it, is not on the hook for sharing its actual water," Barlow said from New York. "The resolution is very clear in that it doesn't . . . touch the sovereign right of Canada or any other country over its water.
"What it does do is it requires each country's government to start implementing a program toward this new right. In Canada, that would mean First Nations communities that are in very serious trouble in terms of the quality of drinking water and sanitation now have a new tool and argument to say that Canada must provide clean water and sanitation."
The United Nations motion was passed Wednesday with 122 countries voting in favour of the resolution and 41 nations choosing to abstain.
The final resolution recognizes "the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights."
Melissa Lantsman, press secretary for Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, said Wednesday that Canada's sovereignty over its own natural water supply is a key issue for government.
"We continue to assert that international human rights obligations in no way limit our sovereign right to manage our own resources," Lantsman said.
"We remain of the view that the general right to water is not codified under international human rights law and . . . currently there's no international consensus among states regarding the existence, scope or content of a possible right to water. Canada alongside (40) others, abstained in that regard."
Barlow, chairwoman of Food and Water Watch — a Washington-based group — said Wednesday's vote was groundbreaking.
"We're absolutely thrilled," said Barlow, who also serves as national chairwoman of the Council of Canadians. "This is a historic day and I think every now and then, the human species advances somewhat in our evolution, and today was one of them.
"It's important to note that even the countries that didn't vote in favour are bound by this resolution, so it's an extremely important day."
Barlow said Canada's non-vote was disappointing, given the scope of the water problem across the globe, but said that disappointment is overshadowed by happiness over the new right.
"I was very sad that my country — faced with the kind of statistics that were presented by the Bolivian ambassador when he introduced the resolution — that my country wouldn't have felt they needed to vote on this historic day in favour," Barlow said. "They abstained and gave no reason and that was the only bad and sad note for us."
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar came down on the government over the UN water resolution.
"It was disappointing to see the Conservative government abstain from supporting this vital resolution," Dewar said in a news release Wednesday. "Lack of access to water and sanitation is behind the death of over 4,000 children every single day."
Barlow also said possible inclusion of the word "access" to water and sanitation was a key point of debate, and said the fact the resolution does not include "access" makes it even more useful.
"It recognizes the human right to drinking water and sanitation for all people and that's very important because it means governments have to provide the water even if people cannot pay for it . . . it's an important distinction (not to include 'access')," she said.
Insiders previously indicated that some countries, including Canada, were in favour of leaving "access" in the resolutions' language.
In the language of diplomats, having to provide "access" would oblige governments to do no more than deliver water as a marketable commodity — not as a core right that would have to be given to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
The final resolution "Calls upon States and international organizations to provide financial resources, capacity-building and technology transfer, through international assistance and co-operation, in particular to developing countries, in order to scale up efforts to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all."
According to the UN, nearly one billion people lack access to safe drinking water and 2.6 billion are without basic sanitation. The international body says 1.5 million children under the age of five die each year from diseases linked to water and sanitation.
Despite the vote, Barlow said the impact won't be immediately evident, but said over the long term, if action isn't taken, the crisis will continue to worsen.
"Everything won't be fine the day after tomorrow," she said. "The statistics on water are just awful, and the fact is we are a planet that's running out of clean water.
"All countries, whether they're water-rich or water-poor are going to have to start building plans to protect their water. Even if you live in a country with a lot of water, there are going to be water refugees really soon and there's not going to be anywhere in the world where there isn't a demand on the dwindling water supplies."
Maude Barlow, who previously served as a senior adviser to the United Nations General Assembly on the water issue, said Wednesday that the "historic" passing of a Bolivia-led resolution, on which Canada abstained from voting, has no physical impact on Canadian water supplies.
"Canada, whether it voted for or against it, is not on the hook for sharing its actual water," Barlow said from New York. "The resolution is very clear in that it doesn't . . . touch the sovereign right of Canada or any other country over its water.
"What it does do is it requires each country's government to start implementing a program toward this new right. In Canada, that would mean First Nations communities that are in very serious trouble in terms of the quality of drinking water and sanitation now have a new tool and argument to say that Canada must provide clean water and sanitation."
The United Nations motion was passed Wednesday with 122 countries voting in favour of the resolution and 41 nations choosing to abstain.
The final resolution recognizes "the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights."
Melissa Lantsman, press secretary for Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, said Wednesday that Canada's sovereignty over its own natural water supply is a key issue for government.
"We continue to assert that international human rights obligations in no way limit our sovereign right to manage our own resources," Lantsman said.
"We remain of the view that the general right to water is not codified under international human rights law and . . . currently there's no international consensus among states regarding the existence, scope or content of a possible right to water. Canada alongside (40) others, abstained in that regard."
Barlow, chairwoman of Food and Water Watch — a Washington-based group — said Wednesday's vote was groundbreaking.
"We're absolutely thrilled," said Barlow, who also serves as national chairwoman of the Council of Canadians. "This is a historic day and I think every now and then, the human species advances somewhat in our evolution, and today was one of them.
"It's important to note that even the countries that didn't vote in favour are bound by this resolution, so it's an extremely important day."
Barlow said Canada's non-vote was disappointing, given the scope of the water problem across the globe, but said that disappointment is overshadowed by happiness over the new right.
"I was very sad that my country — faced with the kind of statistics that were presented by the Bolivian ambassador when he introduced the resolution — that my country wouldn't have felt they needed to vote on this historic day in favour," Barlow said. "They abstained and gave no reason and that was the only bad and sad note for us."
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar came down on the government over the UN water resolution.
"It was disappointing to see the Conservative government abstain from supporting this vital resolution," Dewar said in a news release Wednesday. "Lack of access to water and sanitation is behind the death of over 4,000 children every single day."
Barlow also said possible inclusion of the word "access" to water and sanitation was a key point of debate, and said the fact the resolution does not include "access" makes it even more useful.
"It recognizes the human right to drinking water and sanitation for all people and that's very important because it means governments have to provide the water even if people cannot pay for it . . . it's an important distinction (not to include 'access')," she said.
Insiders previously indicated that some countries, including Canada, were in favour of leaving "access" in the resolutions' language.
In the language of diplomats, having to provide "access" would oblige governments to do no more than deliver water as a marketable commodity — not as a core right that would have to be given to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
The final resolution "Calls upon States and international organizations to provide financial resources, capacity-building and technology transfer, through international assistance and co-operation, in particular to developing countries, in order to scale up efforts to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all."
According to the UN, nearly one billion people lack access to safe drinking water and 2.6 billion are without basic sanitation. The international body says 1.5 million children under the age of five die each year from diseases linked to water and sanitation.
Despite the vote, Barlow said the impact won't be immediately evident, but said over the long term, if action isn't taken, the crisis will continue to worsen.
"Everything won't be fine the day after tomorrow," she said. "The statistics on water are just awful, and the fact is we are a planet that's running out of clean water.
"All countries, whether they're water-rich or water-poor are going to have to start building plans to protect their water. Even if you live in a country with a lot of water, there are going to be water refugees really soon and there's not going to be anywhere in the world where there isn't a demand on the dwindling water supplies."
Read more: http://www.canada.com/health/Canada+water+supply+threatened+water+rights+vote+Activist/3332789/story.html#ixzz1904hYNBf
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