Over the past 13 weeks, the Council of Canadians has released five reports and one book that have received media coverage in the Vancouver Sun, the Calgary Herald, the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, the Winnipeg Free Press, the Ottawa Citizen, Le Devoir, Agence France Presse, Democracy Now!, the Inter Press Service, and in numerous other news services in Canada and around the world.
June 20 – Our Right to Water: A People’s Guide to Implementing the United Nations’ Recognition of the Right to Water and Sanitation by Maude Barlow.
This report puts pressure on all levels of Canadian government to act on these fundamental issues and underscores the obligations that Canada, and all states, now have regarding the human right to water and sanitation.
Read the report on-line here. See media coverage of the report here.
May 25 – Leaky Exports: A portrait of the virtual water trade in Canada by Maude Barlow, Meera Karunananthan and Nabeela Rahman.
This report which highlights the daily loss of massive amounts of the country’s fresh water used to produce commodities, minerals and energy for export.
Read the report on-line here. See media coverage here and here.
May 18 – A Review of Private Sector Influence on Water Policies and Programmes at the United Nations by Julie Larsen with a foreword by Maude Barlow.
The report details the many ways that corporations currently influence UN policy and programmes and makes 7 practical recommendations to resolve the problem of undue influence by the private sector on global water policies.
Read the report on-line here. See media coverage here.
April 21 – The Rights of Nature: The Case for a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth by various authors, including Maude Barlow.
This book brings together the voices of acclaimed authors, progressive thinkers, political leaders and environmental and community activists from around the world who share their passion and insights about the Declaration, the Rights of Nature and the urgent need to recognize the unbreakable link between respecting ourselves and respecting the planet – Mother Earth – on which we all live and depend.
Order the book on-line at www.canadians.org/rightsofnature. See media coverage here and here.
April 7 – Conflicts Over Water in Chile: Between Human Rights and Market Rules edited by Sara Larrain and Colombina Schaeffer, with an introduction by Maude Barlow.
This report explores how Chile has gone farther than any other country in the world in commodifiying water and creating a market economy based on private water rights.
Read the report on-line here. See the report in action here.
March 22 – Our Great Lakes Commons: A People’s Plan to Protect the Great Lakes Forever by Maude Barlow.
This report explores the critical importance of forging a new future for the Great Lakes watershed. It is intended to serve as a background and a call to understanding and action on a new proposal to designate the Great Lakes and its tributary waters as a lived Commons, to be shared, protected, carefully managed and enjoyed by all who live around them.
Read the report on-line here. See media coverage at here.
