Bakker, Karen, ed. 2006. Eau Canada: The future of Canada’s water. Georgetown, ON: UNI presses
Bakker’s work titled Eau Canada provides a collection of perspectives on the management of water problems and identifies potential methods and processes to support the improvement of water management and governance in Canada. A useful description of barriers to water management is presented and includes: the myth of abundance, multi-jurisdictional nature of governance, lack of meaningful inclusion of First Nations, lack of integrated economic instruments to support equitable and efficient water management, unclear governance rolls at all jurisdictional levels, and highlights the recent trend of reduction in government investment for the monitoring of water resources, to name a few.
Muldon and McLenaghan (chapter 12) recognize the need for developing a multi-level governance framework to support negotiated water resource management. Walkem (chapter 15) provides important insights to first nation perspective on water governance including the concepts of: seventh generation principle, recognizing that all living things are connected, valuing the wealth (natural capital) around us, and environmental justice: learning to say “no”.
Matthews et al (chapter 17) identify the need to develop a new water ethic for managing Canadian water resources that includes six imperatives: meeting basic human needs (enhance equity); safeguarding ecosystems; encouraging efficiency and conservation; establishing open and participatory decision-making processes; respecting system complexity and emphasize precaution; and seeking multiple sustainability benefits from water-centred initiatives. In thinking about a new water ethic, the authors in this chapter emphasize the need for a greater degree of social participation in decision-making, acknowledging the significance of equity (notably participation by women and First Nation people), to protect water as a common good.
Eau Canada provides a useful collection of policy, scientific and cultural accounts of water management needs and describes significant water management and governance issues including: ecological integrity, economic sustainability, social equity, realities of globalization, climate change impacts, to name a few. These considerations are helpful when support exploring a meaningful reform of Canadian water management, policy and governance.
This work concludes with a call for leadership by the Canadian federal government to implement a well thought-out water governance framework that clarifies roles at all levels of government, fully integrates first nations in water resource decision making and strengthens water quality regulation.
A summary of provincial water legislation (Table A.1) and Federal programs and government departments that have a direct management role of water resources (Table A.2) are included in Appendix 1, providing a useful summary of government agency actors that are involved in water management decision making.
A call for meaningful dialogue that engages all levels of government, First Nations and citizens is encouraged. Moreover, a need for developing a new water ethic, developing and implementing a “soft path” to water management and increasing the focus on “ecological governance” are explored in detail and provide for a range of normative suggestions to better manage Canadian water resources. Bakker’s work provides a meaningful exploration of the complex nature of water management and governance in Canada and calls for a “new alliance between local communities, water managers, and all levels of government.”
