Response to the Province of Manitoba “Engaging Manitobans on Water Management

Abstract

As the Province of Manitoba engages with Manitobans on a Water Management Strategy, we must keep in mind that our freshwater is not an endless resource. We have to live with our finite water resources and understand that we are all responsible to keep water healthy and accessible to everyone. Access to clean water is a basic human right, mandated by many countries, including the United Nations.

Freshwater should not be thought of as a separate (or self-contained) issue from the rest of the hydrosphere and cryospheric systems of our planet. The impact of hemispheric and especially Arctic climate on freshwater in the mid and lower latitudes in Canada is integral to understanding how to manage freshwater resources. While we understand this is a Manitoba strategy as acknowledged in the Guiding Principles in the Water Management Strategy document, water is a transboundary issue, both provincially and nationally.