The Winnipeg Free Press reports that, “Almost all Canadians believe clean water should be guaranteed as a human right, according to a poll to be released in Winnipeg this month by the Trudeau Foundation and the University of Manitoba.”
“Of those surveyed, 96 per cent said water should be a guaranteed right, while only two per cent said it should not — the strongest response to any of the six emerging rights the pollsters proposed. The support for clean water as a human right was solid across income groups, education levels and regions of the country. Adults under the age of 45 were a bit more supportive, as were women. …Full results of the national survey will be released at the Montreal-based charity’s annual policy conference, to be held Nov. 18-20 at the Fort Garry Hotel.”
“The findings suggest the Harper government may be out of touch with Canadian citizens on water rights. In July, Canada abstained when the United Nations passed a resolution stating ‘the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.'”
Canadians have been consistent in their view of water as a human right. In April 2004 the Council of Canadians and CUPE commissioned an Ipsos-Reid poll that found that 97 per cent of Canadians wanted water to be recognized as a human right. More on that at http://canadians.org/media/water/2004/29-Apr-04.html.
The Winnipeg Free Press report is at http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/fyi/Safe-water-a-human-right-Canadians.html.
