Group Project (Abstract and Goals):
Based on our findings over the course of our independent research, our group will make an informed argument as to whether or not Canada should recognize the international human right to water. The recognition of this right could imply that governments must ensure access to safe water for drinking, food preparation and sanitation, for their own citizens and potentially for those of other countries; that water sources are protected from contamination and over-use; and that water is declared as a public trust and delivered as a public service on a not-for-profit basis.
Inherent in our recommendation will be a discussion on the implications, both domestically as well as within the international community, of Canada’s recognition of this right and the motivations currently driving the country’s continued opposition to this concept.* This may include potential financial gains from the privatization of Canada’s water resources, the responsibility to provide bulk exports of water to countries in need, the obligations to provide First Nations communities with access to clean water and current water usage in the Alberta Tar Sands project.
Our academically-supported recommendation could take the shape of a draft private member’s bill, outlining the argument in support of Canada’s recognition of the international human right to water.
*In a recent vote in the UN General Assembly, Canada abstained from a resolution recognizing “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right”.