To the Editor

In the past several months Haliburton has become a Blue Dot community with the county and the four townships endorsing our right to a healthy environment. On World Water Day March 22 let’s celebrate our commitment to clean water and let’s act.

Like Canada Haliburton has an abundance of clean water. Unlike Canada we are making efforts to protect both the quality and quantity of the water flowing out of the county. We have a shoreline protection bylaw official plans that encourage good water management and many groups whose focus includes water.

Canada has 1/5th of the world’s fresh water and 1/4th of the world’s remaining wetlands. Despite recognizing that water is a human right Canada has no national water standards. On any day in Canada there are over 1000 boil water advisories. We need a constitutional amendment that guarantees our right to a healthy environment.

However as the slow and complex process unfolds for a constitutional amendment the Blue Dot Movement is requesting that the federal government implement the right to clean water in Canada by passing an environmental bill of rights that respects protects and fulfils our right to a healthy environment including the right to clean water.

Please consider adding your voice to the call for a federal environmental bill of rights. For more information contact www.bluedot.ca.

Heather Ross