And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (S.I.S.I.S.) writes: OTTAWA MULLS POLICY ON WATER EXPORTS Canadian Press, January 25, 1999 by Sandra Cordon [S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news article may contain biased or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context. It is provided for reference only.] OTTAWA (CP) - A multimillion-dollar claim for compensation by a U.S. firm thwarted in its efforts to export Canadian water proves the need for a watertight federal policy to protect a vital resource, critics say. The claim by California firm Sun Belt Water Inc., against the Canadian government is the thin edge of a wedge to siphon fresh water out of this country and Ottawa must move aggressively to ban its export, says the nationalist lobby group Council of Canadians. Jack Lindsey, Sun Belt chief executive, was scheduled to meet Tuesday in Ottawa with Foreign Affairs and International Trade officials to discuss his company's claim made under NAFTA. Lindsey said he is seeking "fair" compensation under the North American Free Trade Agreement for losses that Sun Belt puts at between $105 million and $220 million US. "We're not interested in arbitration, were just trying to see if we can work out a settlement," outside of a trade panel, he said Monday. Sun Belt claims it had a deal in the early 90s with a British Columbia company to export supertankers filled with Canadian water to sundried California. Shortly before the tankers were due to float, the B.C. government banned water exports and compensated the provincial partner in the deal. Sun Belt says it, too, should be compensated for lost business opportunities under NAFTAs investment rules. It's one of at least three firms that have been involved in plans to export Canadian water. Critics say water demands will escalate if Ottawa doesnt step in to ban exports. "If anything would freak Canadians out, it's this," said Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians. "Nothing is going to touch Canadians in the same way, and if we suddenly found ourselves vulnerable to American supertankers coming in and being allowed to take our water, just picture the image." Watch for a federal action plan on water issues in coming weeks, said Andre Leblanc, a foreign affairs spokesman. "The federal government is considering making an announcement for a plan in the next few weeks on ensuring the security of Canadas fresh water resources," Leblanc said Monday. He said federal officials are now consulting the provinces, which under the Constitution are responsible for water management within their boundaries. "This is not a trade issue, were looking at the security of Canada's fresh water resources," added Leblanc. Sun Belts claim can be compared with one raised by Ethyl Corp., of Richmond, Va., which threated to sue the Canadian government over its ban on the sale of Ethyls gasoline additive MMT, said trade expert Dennis Browne. Last July, Ottawa backed down on the ban, saying it didn't have the scientific evidence to prove MMT was a health hazard. It then paid Ethyl $20 million in compensation for lost profits and legal fees. There are no provisions in NAFTA that force Canada to sell its water, although bottled water is covered by the trade deal, said Browne, who heads the Centre for Trade Policy and Law at Carlton University in Ottawa. "It has never been an issue between the governments.... To me the issue is one that is much more in the hearts and minds of Canadians than it is in substance," said Browne. While NAFTA may not force Canada to export water, there is no policy to stop provinces from permitting exports, complained Barlow. And getting all the provinces to agree on anything has proven to be very difficult, she added. "Water is going to be a very precious commodity in the next century," she said. "We have no water policy, we've had no debate in the country and since we have about one-quarter of the world's water supply, it's past time to have a debate." :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: SOVEREIGN UNCEDED INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES, PEOPLES, RESOURCES, WATERS! In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
