Ottawa - The federal government's strategy to protect Canada's water announced yesterday leaves Canadians are no closer to safeguarding their water from bulk exports. The strategy unveiled by Ministers Axworthy and Anderson deals only with boundary waters and fails to include a national ban on bulk exports.

"Without a national ban, any one province can turn on the tap and commit the rest of the country to water exports," said Maude Barlow, Volunteer National Chairperson for the Council of Canadians. "Canadians and their environment can't afford the risk."

"The federal government knows that NAFTA is the real threat to Canada's water and environment", said Jamie Dunn, Water Campaigner with the Council. "It's time they dealt with it."

The Council of Canadians is leading a national campaign to stop bulk water exports and the privatisation of Canada's water. The Council is Canada's foremost public interest watchdog with 100,000 members across Canada.

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