Water May Be Official Human Right in Canada

Canada is ahead of the ball in yet another way: public advocacy groups have begun to pressure the Canadian government to officially declare water a human right. At this past weekend’s Blue Summit, a national conference on water issues held in Ottawa, a statement was drafted that calls on the government to (as reported by www.circleofblue.org) develop legislation “that recognizes water as a human right and a public trust; safeguards water resources from industrial abuse; and guarantees adequate funding for water services, watershed planning and management and the necessary science to protect water quantity and quality.”

Most of us can agree that water is a public resource rather than just another economic commodity. Now maybe more governments will as well.