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Date: Monday, January 19, 2009
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: St-Joe’s Parish Hall, 174 Wilbrod Street, Ottawa
Admission: Free
Please arrive early to ensure a seat.
Hosts: Adrian Harewood of All in a Day on CBC Radio and
Ginette Gratton of Radio Canada.
CUPE & Council of Canadians Unite to Reclaim Public Water
CUPE Ontario president Sid Ryan is joining up with Senior Advisor on Water to the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Maude Barlow to host a 15 city tour across the Province from January 12 – January 30, 2009.
On October 28th, 2008 United Nations appointed the Canadian activist Maude Barlow as its first-ever senior adviser on water. Maude is one of the leading figures in the global water justice movement. She is the head of the Council of Canadians, Canada’s largest public advocacy group, and founder of the Blue Planet Project.
Sid Ryan is well known for his political and social activism both locally and internationally. He currently represents 225,000 workers in the public sector. Sid is a passionate champion for workers’ rights and a vocal advocate for human rights and social justice. Under Sid’s leadership, CUPE Ontario has become a formidable political voice.
p. Tap water is better than bottled water when it comes to people’s health, wallets and the environment. ‘Take back the tap’ shows that bottled water generally is no cleaner, or safer, or healthier than tap water. Municipal water systems are more rigorously tested and monitored than the bottled water industry, although the industry cloaks itself in a false image of purity. The report looks at building community confidence in public water systems – and pressing for the funds needed to keep public systems in excellent shape. Tap water is so reliable, it’s often what corporations repackage and sell – at an enormous mark-up. Consumer pressure recently forced the relabelling of Pepsi’s Aquafina brand to make it clear it comes from a municipal water source. ‘Take back the tap’ also shows the incredible amount of waste and pollution the bottled water industry leaves in its wake. The fossil fuel used to create plastic bottles and transport them is a major climate crime.
This tour will empower citizens to take back the tap by choosing tap water over bottled water whenever possible and supporting increased funding for safe and affordable public tap water.
For more on Canadian campaigns against bottled water, visit Council of Canadians or the Polaris Institute’s Inside the Bottle campaign.
Refreshments and sweets will be served on January 19th.
We ask that you bring your own coffee mug so that we can aim for a waste-free event!
Donations of personal care items (toothbrushes, shampoo, mittens, razors, etc.) for St. Joe’s Supper Table will be graciously accepted.