This 2008 Panel Discussion, hosted by POWI, was based on “A Model Act for Preserving Canada’s Water”, which was prepared by the Canadian Water Issues Council (CWIC). The Model Act focuses on the public policy question: Are there options available to Canada to deter bulk water removals that are both consistent with Canada’s trade obligations and desirable from other public policy perspectives? CWIC argues that such options exist, and moreover should command wide support from all political parties and diverse groups in civil society. The paper is offered by CWIC as a starting point to help build consensus among Canadians on the matter. It describes a model federal statute to preserve Canada’s waters from bulk removal, a statute that would be both consistent with Canada’s trade obligations and respectful of the roles of different levels of government within Canada. This discussion was webcast live on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 (9:30 AM EST). An archived version is now available along with French and English audio recordings.

To see the related publication, please click here.