(St. John’s) - Wayne Lucas, President of CUPE N&L, and Bill Hynd, Campaigns Coordinator of Oxfam Canada, are meeting today with MP Norm Doyle to discuss recent Conservative actions around water and sanitation (Friday, April 4 at 10am, at MP Doyle’s office on Freshwater Rd.)
CUPE and Oxfam are demanding Canada establish a comprehensive national water policy that would outlaw bulk exports, set national drinking water standards and increase federal funding to maintain and expand water systems. Internationally, Canada must honour its promises and increase aid funding in support of water and sanitation. Finally, Canada needs to reverse its decision and declare water a human right.
For Wayne Lucas, CUPE NL President, the issue of concern is water privatization. “Canada must stop promoting water privatization through public private partnerships, or so-called P3s,” says Lucas. “This Conservative government has been pushing municipalities into P3s for water and sewage services. P3s are bad public policy, an unwise use of tax dollars that lack accountability and transparency.
“Instead, cities and towns need increased federal funding to maintain and expand public water and wastewater systems,” says Lucas.
Bill Hynd says, “Oxfam is disappointed by the obstructive tactics Canada took at the United Nations blocking the move to have water declared a human right. The United Nations Development Program has affirmed water is a human right and has demanded that poor people be provided 20 litres of clean water free each day.
“It is shameful that last Friday, Canada blocked a German–Spanish motion to enshrine the right to water at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Water is not a good to be traded, like a pair of jeans or leather shoes. Water is essential to life,” explains Hynd.
For information:
Wayne Lucas Bill Hynd
CUPE NL President Oxfam Campaigns Co-ordinator
(709) 727-2509 (Cell) (709) 753-2202 (o)