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By Anne Dyas n 1995, the FWIO Board passed a reso- lution asking the Federal Government to neither construct a dam on James Bay, nor sell Canadian water to the United States. As we are all aware, a darn was built on James Bay which drastically affected the lives ofcitizens living in the area. Shall we shortly see our water sold to the United States and other countries with an equally drastic effect on the lives of all Canadians? Many of you will have received mail recently from the Council of Canadians. Enclosed in this mailing was a reprint of an article that appeared in the July 16, .999, edition of Maclean'r magazine and an accompanying letter containing “food for thought” designed to encourage the reader to sign and remit the attached peti- tion to “Save Our Water.“ These items prompted me to do some independent reâ€" search to verify whether the information quoted was actually correct. It is. Do we really need to be concerned? Canada has more available fresh water than any other country in the world. I beâ€" lieve there is room for concern. Water is not a renewable resource. The amount of water we have today is exactly the same amount of water as at the time of this planet’s creation over 4 billion years ago. There is no such thing as “new” water. The removal of large quantities of water from Canada could have unforeseen reâ€" sults: the accumulation of poisonous elements in what water remains; the deâ€" struction of plant and animal life as habitats change; and, climate change. Na- ture abhors a vacuum; something else will '1] the space left from removing the water. Numerous companies are already bottling and selling spring water using under- ground aquifers at an unprecedented rate. Some springs will survive, the flow in others will slow down and some are already dried up or tainted, This could be your well; your water supply! Large corporations have applied for government permits to sell enormous quantities of Canadian water each day to foreign countries. The Federal Government has requested a voluntary moratorium on any provincial decisions with regard to the sale of water. Yes, there is a great need for water in some overseas countries. We read, almost daily, of drought and wish we could help. Do you think exported water would go to where it is most needed, or to the person with the heaviest purse? The North American Free Trade Agree- ment (NAFTA) is worded so that exports, once begun, cannot be stopped. In addi- tion, Canadian and American corporations allowed to export water would then have the legal right to buy as much lake water as they wished without restriction. Is this water really ours to sell? Corporations can and will sue our Government for denial of access to busi- ness if they pass a law prohibiting water exports. Do we want to interfere? If we agree that it is essential to safeguard our water supply for future generations, I believe we must do something. We could protest any threatâ€" ened water exports. We could express our concerns to our municipal leaders. local newspapers, Members of Parliament and the Provincial Legislature, and ask our friends and neighbours to do likewise. We could work with other like-minded organi- zations to strengthen their positions. We could, at the very least. sign and return the petition of the Council of Canadians. We could also do a very human thing, absolutely nothing, until it is too late! Anne Dyes is the Lobbying Coordinator for the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario. I 'anne Orr, a member from the Guelph Area, was elected to the position of' ting last November. 3 nn'e'and;.her husband Wayne m .. registered Hols’teins on their 350 acre - ' .farm'near Conn. The Orr's have two children -.Cathy and Steve..-Now retired» ; from the health field, Dianne workedi'és a' Registered Nurse for 26 years_'in ’ O‘akville, Fergus and Mount Forest hosâ€" rta'ls. ‘ ' ' , ring her 21-year associa'tia ' Damascus Branch. Dianne has'bee' ctive'at all levels of the orgahizatio ranch and District President; Br _‘ awry/Treasurer; Branch, Dist'ri _d_ Area Resolutions Convener; and strict Tweedsrnuir. Curator. She sealed a Board Director for MK) from 199 998. As Presidentâ€"Elect for . neris a member of the Pr ‘_ V oard._ As well, she is a member of the , e'alth Committee: ‘ - ‘ liayqnd the WI, fiia‘nne‘has hee twely involved in and enjoyed/tea Home 8. Country, Summer 2000 5