On the Table: Water, Energy and North American Integration
Andrew Nikiforuk
October 10, 2007
Since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993 there has been pressure to allow trade in Canadian water. This pressure increased with the establishment in 2005 of the Security and Prosperity Partnership. Andrew Nikiforuk argues that in a very real sense, Canada's water is already "on the table" as our current legislation does not protect it from being traded away.
Most Canadians recognize the United States as Canada's best trading partner and friend, and understand that trade between the two countries is vital to both economies. Yet Canadians and Americans also prize the principle of independence. They understand that whenever a nation no longer controls the necessities of life, its citizens are no longer free or safe. The controversial idea of continental water integration or "interdependence" is based on one of two assumptions. The first of these is that Canada has a "surplus" of water and therefore, large amounts of water can be moved from one basin in Canada to another in the US without unduly affecting the environment. The second assumption is that water, like oil or gas, is a tradable commodity and that it is permissible to trade it and run the risk of degrading one place for the benefit of another.
Many believe that both of these assumptions are false. This paper subscribes to the principle that wise management, prudent conservation and responsible stewardship of water are absolutely necessary for the long-term environmental health and economic prosperity of both countries. This principle can be paraphrased as "Keep water within its natural basin, treat it with respect, and use it efficiently."
Canada and the United States have a long history of valued friendship. Good friends bring discipline to their water households, not by draining the neighbour's pool, but by living within their means. It is hoped that this paper contributes to the important open dialogue that needs to take place on Canada's fresh water resources.