This is a challenge for a federation like Canada, as the committee has seen today. Often, we don’t talk about water as anything but a resource. One of the opportunities for a Canada-wide agency is to propose a different vision. Several visions about water could be up for debate. It’s possible to find common ground in the face of these challenges.
I repeat, we really have to move from an anthropocentric vision, where water is considered only as a resource, to an ecocentric approach. Then we could look at many concepts about water, many visions. That way, we could also try to find a compromise to the advantage of all users. It has to be productive.
One of the Canada Water Agency’s functions is to collect scientific facts. There has to be a place where everyone can access data. In spite of what was said, this resource isn’t just local, water isn’t just local. We’re talking about watersheds. Don’t forget there are consequences for contaminating water, because it runs off and goes elsewhere. It’s important to change this way of seeing things. I think the Canada Water Agency’s work could lead to this vision, and the Agency must make sure that decisions…