RESPONDING TO CORPORATE WATER CONTROL
Many us remember learning about the hydrological or water cycle way back in grade 9 science. Now that was decades and decade ago for me. I don’t know, perhaps they haven’t taught such things in recent years and that explains the escalating misuse of our valuable water resources. Or … maybe just maybe … folks who are misusing our waters for corporate gain are just ignoring the simple things they learned and have a “profound lack of conscience—a flaw in the moral compass that typically steers people away from breaking common rules and treating others decently … an internal moral disconnect (that) may be masked by a charming demeanor.” (www.psychologytoday.com)
In the Maritime Provinces at least, the “charm” seems to be wearing off as people become more aware of the pollution of water by a myriad of air-borne pollutants, the release of toxins and life altering chemicals into our lakes rivers and oceans by corporations, municipalities, and a variety of business activities. More recently we have been introduced to the basic “destruction” of water that is used in the extraction of oil, gas and other mined products at land and sea. And then there are companies and governments who have taken “ownership” of waters.
For those who live along the Atlantic coast of North America may well result in “class wars” of various types, elsewhere there are full blown wars that are being waged with water control as a foundation of the conflict. The world water wars risk is shown below.
As can be seen the overall water risk for the lower North Atlantic coast of North America ranges from low to medium/high risk. But as we all know there have been constant attempts by the Americans to lock into Canada’s waters. It seems more than likely that those areas with high to extremely high risk that are shown in this map, will look north for their water needs.
Meanwhile we continue to abuse our water resources at an accelerating rate and recent developments in gas, oil, agriculture, forestry and coastal industries are adding to the serious degradation of our waters in our Atlantic States and Provinces. Ultimately it is up to us to affect change.
That’s how I see it tonight. Art MacKay
REFERENCES
ARCHIVE ATLANTIC 