No First Nations Water - or any water- at COF talks

Probably because I sit on the Water Partners Advisory Committee to the Council of the Federation (COF) I just received an email forwarding a Press Release and Letter to BC Premier and Chair of the Council of the Federation Christy Clark regarding a request by Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak to amend Water Charter and related matters to water. MKO says:

The Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Inc. (MKO) recommends that the Council of the Federation amend the August, 2010 Water Charter to declare that "Whereas access to clean running water is a basic human right of all Canadians" and to further amend the Water Charter to include the corresponding action item “Ensure that all Canadians have access to clean running water”.

Further, they ask:

As Chair of the Council of the Federation, MKO urges you to ensure that the matter of “Access to Clean Running Water is a Basic Human Right of all Canadians” and the two amendments to the Water Charter as proposed above are placed on the agenda of the Council’s meetings being held on July 20, 21 and 22, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

It is really important that all First Nations (and all Canadians) urge the COF to keep water on their agenda and to do everything they can to address these long-standing issues. The danger that the item will drop off the agenda is already coming to pass as seen in the special report by Tom Siddon (federal fisheries Minister under the Conservative government from 1985-90) in the Vancouver Sun (see: http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/water+legislation+teeth/5127890/story.html). No mention of water by the COF so far.