NEWS: House of Commons votes 134-108 against bulk water exports

June 6, 2007

Dear activists,

As reported in the Ottawa Citizen on June 1, "A motion to open NAFTA talks to make sure bulk-water exports are excluded from the deal sparked an acrimonious three-hour debate in the House yesterday, with all three Opposition parties lined up against the Tories...Submitted by the Standing Committee on International Trade, the motion calls for a formal letter of agreement with the U.S. and Mexico to make sure bulk water will never be defined as a good or service under NAFTA. If it were, the panel says, NAFTA rules against government interference could allow firms to sue the provincial or federal governments if they try to bar them from shipping water across the border."

Just this afternoon we received this message from MP Peter Julian, "As a quick update I wanted to let you know that the Motion on preventing bulk water exports that was brought to the House of Commons as a result of the NDP hearings on deep integration at the Standing Committee on International Trade passed last night in Parliament by a vote of 134 to 108, with all Conservatives voting against and with a couple of dozen Liberal MPs either absent or abstaining. All New Democrats voted in favour of this motion."

Click here to read the motion that went to the House of Commons.

If you go to the Hansard for Monday June 4, 2007 at and scroll down almost to the end of the document, you will find under 'Routine Proceedings' (at 6:55 pm) the listing of the MPs who voted in favour or against this motion.

Click here to read the Ottawa Citizen article noted above.

Further reading:

• [06-June-07] Council of Canadians supports vote to exclude water from NAFTA
• Water exports
• Leaked document: North American Future 2025 Project (PDF format)
  Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
• Backgrounder: The North American Future 2025 Project (PDF format)
  The Council of Canadians’ analysis
• Read more about the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America
• Once water's a commodity, no chance to turn off the tap, Susan Howatt, Port Hope Evening Guide (ON), April 30, 2007
  

Brent Patterson, Director of Organizing, The Council of Canadians