As I was browsing the Toronto Star this morning, I came across these two articles and a letter to the editor.
- May 13, 2006: Clean water a basic human right
- May 15, 2006: Canada as watchdog
- May 15, 2006: Expect Canada to do the right thing
The first describes the efforts at the United Nations to have clean water and sanitation declared as a basic human right. Canada, it seems, is against this concept and prefers to support the privatization of water throughout the world so that people are held to ranson for this most basic necessity of life.
The second article outlines Canada’s lead role as the chair of the new Human Rights organization at the UN and, according the Peter McKay, the great work that Canada can do in this role as a leader in human rights efforts.
And the third is a well written letter from a reader in Montreal relating disappointment at Canada’s stance on the water issue at the UN.
I don’t recall a public debate on the issue of water privatization. Do you? Did I miss it?
I’d like to hear the reasoning for the Canadian stance at the UN. On the evidence of what I read in these articles, there is something seriously out of whack. For now, this seems to be one of many issues where the vast majority of Canadians feel one way on an issue and yet our elected governments take the opposite stance.
FYI, the Green Party policy is to have clean water declared a basic human right both here in Canada as well as elsewhere in the world.
