docFresh, clean water resources are necessary for us all. It has recently
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Fresh, clean water resources are necessary for us all. It has recently
Fresh, Fresh,clean cleanwater waterresources resourcesare arenecessary necessaryfor forus usall. all.ItIthas hasrecently recentlybecome becomeapparent apparentthat thatwithout withoutthe theproper properpolicy policywater waterresources resourceswill willcontinue continueto toface face the therisk riskof ofcontamination, contamination,which whichwill willtravel travelthroughout throughoutecosystems, ecosystems,up upthe thefood foodchain chainand andinto intocommunity communityhealth. health.We Weare areonly onlybeginning beginningto tofully fully understand understandthe thecomplexities complexitiesof ofaquatic aquaticcontamination, contamination,governments governmentsare areonly onlybeginning beginningto toturn turnto toscientific scientificinstitutions institutionsfor forinformation informationon onwhat whatand andhow howto to regulate regulateclean cleanwater. water.IIpropose proposeto tolook lookatathow howrecent recentscientific scientificdevelopments developmentssurrounding surroundingwater waterresources resourcesare aredisseminated disseminatedand andhow howgovernments governmentsutilize utilize that thatknowledge knowledgein inpolicymaking. policymaking. Many Manyof ofour ourstudy studylakes lakesare arepopular popularfishing fishinglocations. locations. Popular Popularsport sportfish fish species speciesin inthese theselakes lakes contain containmethylmercury methylmercuryin inthe thetissue. tissue.The Thehealth healthrisk risk of ofhigh highconsumption consumptionof ofthese thesefish fishare areunknown unknownto tothe thefishers. fishers.In InBritish British Columbia, Columbia,we weneither neitherhave havefish fishconsumption consumptionregulations regulationsnor norguidelines, guidelines, while whilepeople peoplecontinue continueto tofish fishin inthe thelakes lakessome someof ofwhich whichhave have concentrations concentrationsabove abovefederal federalguidelines guidelinesfor forconsumption. consumption. •How •Howmuch muchfish fishfrom fromeach eachlake lakecan canaaperson personeat eatand andremain remainhealthy? healthy? •Do •Dothe thepeople peoplewho whofish fishin ineach eachlake lakeknow knowthat thatthe thefish fishcontain containmercury mercury and andhow howmany manythey theyare areable ableto toeat eatsafely? safely? •How •Howdid didthey theycome comeacross acrossthis thisinformation? information? •Are •Arethey theytaking takingany anyactions actionsto toeducate educatethemselves themselvesabout aboutfish fish contamination? contamination? Eight Eightyears yearsago, ago,NAFTA NAFTAwas wasratified ratifiedby byCanada, Canada,the theUnited UnitedStates, States,and and Mexico Mexicoamid amidmuch muchcontroversy. controversy.Much Muchof ofthe theopposition oppositionto toNAFTA NAFTAin in Canada Canadacame camefrom fromgroups groupsworried worriedabout abouttwo twopossibilities: possibilities:1) 1)mass mass exportation exportationof ofCanada’s Canada’svast vastwater waterresources resourcesto tothirsty thirstyUS USagricultural agricultural industries industriesand and2) 2)the thepotential potentialfor forChapter Chapter11, 11,aasection sectionof ofNAFTA NAFTAthat that allows allowsforeign foreigncorporations corporationsto tosue suecountries countriesfor forcompensation compensationwhen whennew new regulations regulationslimit limittheir theirprofits, profits,to tocurtail curtailprovincial provincialwater waterstandards. standards. •How •Howisiseach eachcountry’s country’swater watersupply supplycoping copingwith withthe theincreased increasedeconomic economic activity activitybrought broughton onby byNAFTA? NAFTA? •Is •IsNAFTA NAFTAbringing bringingabout aboutthe theconvergence convergenceof ofeach eachcountry’s country’swater waterpolicy? policy? •Has •HasMexico’s Mexico’swater waterpolicy policybeen beenaffected affectedin insuch suchaaway wayso soas asto tobecome becomean an economic economicresource resourcefor forthe theUSA USAand andCanada? Canada? •In •Inwhat whatways waysisisNAFTA NAFTAfacilitating facilitatingthe theprivatization privatizationof ofwater waterresources resourcesand and isisthis thisundercutting undercuttingregional regionalconservation conservationefforts? efforts? •Is •IsNAFTA NAFTAinhibiting inhibitingprovinces provincesfrom fromsetting settingwater waterquality qualitystandards? standards? •Is •Isprivatization privatizationan aneffective effectivemeans meansto tosustainably sustainablyprovide provideclean cleanwater? water? This Thisstudy studyaims aimsto toresult resultin inrecommendations recommendationsfor forinformation informationtransference transference between betweenthe thescientific scientificcommunity communityand andgoverning governingbodies, bodies,as aswell wellas aseffective effective ways waysto topropagate propagatelake lakecontamination contaminationinformation informationto tofish fishconsumers. consumers. Contact: Rebecca McMackin [email protected] This Thisstudy studywill willresult resultin inan anoverall overallassessment assessmentof ofdrinking drinkingwater waterpolicy policyin ineach each of ofthe thethree threecounties countieslinked linkedby byNAFTA, NAFTA,with withaaconcentration concentrationon onCanada Canadaand and British BritishColumbia Columbiaspecifically. specifically.In Inaddition, addition,we wewill willevaluate evaluatethe therepercussions repercussionsof of NAFTA NAFTAover overthe thelast lasteight eightyears yearsand andreview reviewhow howitithas hasshaped shapedand andwill willshape shape water waterquality qualityand andpolicy. policy.