Today, the Council of Canadians expressed our support for the Anishinabe water-walkers, who are walking to “raise awareness of the need to take care of the water, and to help our Mother Earth who is struggling to survive…”
The Anishinabe in Ottawa today began their walk in Machias, Maine – about 800 kilometres away – on May 7.
At this moment, by the Ottawa River, Council of Canadians water campaigner Emma Lui is delivering a message from chairperson Maude Barlow (who is travelling back from British Columbia today).
In the message, Barlow says: “Thank you for allowing me the opportunity and great privilege to express words of support to the wonderful women and men on the water walk. …Despite how important it is to ecosystems and to humans, humans are destroying the waters that we have. In the Great Lakes we are seeing it abused, polluted and exploited. …The fact that you wonderful people are bringing this awareness to the fore is so important. So we all thank you for this.”
Earlier, Assembly of First Nations national chief Shawn Atleo gave a moving speech and highlighted that women are in the forefront of efforts to protect water and that we must follow courageous women like the water-walkers and Maude Barlow.
The walkers have asked that you convey your message of solidarity by sending an e-mail – with the subject line BLUE – to waterwalk2011@gmail.com. The organizers of the march are posting ‘blue bubbles’ with these messages on a map they have. Please include the place you are writing from and what body of water you would like your message placed on.
