Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last night I attended, as did the Member for Frame Lake, an event sponsored by the local chapter of the Council of Canadians, a national non-profit group supported not by governments or corporations, but by individual citizens in Canada. The event featured a talk by Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the council.

Maude Barlow is an amazing person, the recipient of 11 honourary doctorates and untold awards and recognitions. She recently served as the United Nations first senior advisor on water issues. During this term, in July 2010, through Resolution 64/292, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation, and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realization of all human rights. This resolution provides an obligation for all countries, including Canada, to ensure these rights are upheld.

Maude has written 17 books and, most recently, one titled, Blue Future, Protecting Water for People and the Planet Forever. She always takes the long view.

During her talk, Maude detailed the global water crisis, providing specific examples of issues in Canada as well as around the world. She detailed the shocking consequences of the crisis that is happening today in the global south and what is beginning to happen in the global north.

From there she went on to describe some of the work she does to mobilize communities and coalitions, including her work with indigenous people, to deal with the waste people and removal

of clean water from our homelands around the world. One core observation was her understanding that production of most things, from the shirts we wear to the cars we drive, use and pollute water. For example, extraction of fossil fuels requires massive amounts of water. In the latter case, she also noted that that tragic double loss as we put all our efforts and creative thinking into fracking instead of renewable energy and efficiency.

Finally, Maude brought a message of hope. As revealed in Blue Future, she profiled how water and our need for it to teach us how to live together. This compelling woman has spent a lifetime fighting for democracy, healthy families and healthy communities, always with hope and compassion.

I left the event thinking, what a great Canadian. I wish this House could hear the inspirational words of wisdom she so generously shares. Thanks to the local chapter of the council for bringing their leader to town. Mahsi.