NCWC Major Project

NCWCEF and NCWC are pleased to give our members and the much broader general public the opportunity to be involved in our joint Water/Energy Connections Project as it explores the multitude of water/energy connections in such areas as:

• The overall energy/water/climate nexus

• Tar Sands - the use of huge amounts of water to produce oil and extraction impacts on Lake Athabasca and surrounding eco-systems

• Nuclear Power - mining, processing, waste management, trucking, release of tritium into the Great Lakes

• Hydro Electric - huge mega -dams impacts on river systems and their eco-systems

• The 'Soft Path' for Water and the 'Soft Energy ' Path---looking at the co- benefits of water and energy conservation.

The project will be directed by Gracia Janes, Chair of the NCWC Education Fund, and the research/writing will be done by Dr. John Bacher, author of Petrotyranny-Dundurn Press (foreword David Suzuki); researcher for the Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society (estb.1976); Board member, Coalition on the Niagara Escarpment and, former Ontario Drainage Board Tribunal member.

As part of the Water/Energy Connections Project NCWC Representative Elizabeth Hutchinson attended the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) conference on Canadian Water:Towards a New Strategy. Her report is available here.

Highly recommended reading: FLOW Monitor to read about Canadian water issues. In the first issue, read about important developments including Environment Canada's progress on key national water priorities, efforts to develop a comprehensive Federal freshwater strategy and recent developments in First Nations drinking water policies.

Clean Water, Green Jobs In partnership with the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association, the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance, released Clean Water, Green Jobs: A Stimulus Package for Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investments . The plan focuses on repairing and renewing existing water infrastructure, restoring green infrastructure and conserving water and energy.

Thanks to all of you who completed the Water-Energy Use Survey. Results are now tabulated and available here.

The powerpoint presentation by Andrew Nikiforuk at the Annual Meeting of the National Council of Women of Canada in Prince Albert Myth of Abundance. This presentation reviews the connection between water and energy in a striking way, as the ratio of water use to energy extraction in the Tar Sands is 3 to 1. His book, "Tar Sands: Dirty Oil and the Future of the Content" is recommended reading.

Brief to the to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development Re the Oil Sands and Water Resources 31st of August, 2009.

Highlights of the Water /Energy Project are :

• 2008 AGM in Ottawa - Launch of the project with luncheon speaker Ralph Pentland, author of the Federal government's 1987 Water Policy, who spoke on "21st Century Energy and Water Policies" and an afternoon panel of energy/water experts and advocates e.g. Tony Maas, Senior Freshwater Policy Advisor, World Wild Life Fund . Other speakers included John Jackson, Director of Clean Production, Great Lakes United and Dr. Gordon Edwards, President, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.

• 6 quarterly newsletters circulated to our many members across Canada; and available here
  
  The sixth and last edition February, 2010;
  the fifth edition Fall of 2009;
  the fourth edition Summer 2009;
  the third edition Spring 2009;
  the second edition Winter 2008;
  and the the first edition Fall 2008.
  

• 10-15 Common Programs held by Local and Provincial Councils of Women over the two year period, with financial help from the Grant, to provide expert speakers on a variety of water/energy issues - target audience the public, affiliated member groups, the press

• A survey on personal water/energy use sent out to 3000 Canadians (and coming soon on the web) and a report to Federal government with recommendations

• Regular flash sheets and articles by the Project Co-ordinator, Researcher and outside expert advisors such as John Jackson and Ralph Pentland (and others) on web site and in newsletter

Background

"Almost everything we do or use in life, from the essential, such as eating, to the merely frivolous, that of. taking a luxury cruise, requires energy, and, to varying degrees, has an impact on the protection of present and future freshwater resources." ( unknown source)

The ability of federal, provincial, territorial and local governments and individual Canadians to protect freshwater resources relies on the public being knowledgeable about all aspects of the life-cycle of water, acting as individuals and groups to make a difference, and informing governments at all levels of the need for far sighted programs and policies to protect and sustain this vital life-resource.

The National Council of Women of Canada, representing many thousands of Canadians from a very broad diversity of backgrounds, through our 17 Local Councils of Women, 24 Nationally Organized Society Affiliated members and 5 Provincial Councils of Women in British Columbia, Saskatchewan. Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba, has for many years recognized the need for protection of fresh water resources and for the "soft" energy path of energy conservation and efficiencies and renewables, rather than traditional energy sources that are water-destructive and unsustainable .

To this end, NCWC and NCWEF have engaged in two very significant projects in the past 16 years. The most recent, our 2006, 2007 Common Program on Water, was jointly organized with the NCW Education Fund (NCWEF). It involved public meetings across Canada and an expert Panel on Canada's Water at our 2007 AGM in Regina. Funded by a grant from the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation the panel featured 6 presentations by experts in the areas of drought, water diversions, industrial energy resource impacts on water, water and the law, trade agreements and the need for a national water strategy. A report - Water 2007 has been prepared.

This latter program drew our attention back once more to the strong inter-relationship between the public's use of, and government support of, very damaging energy sources such as oil, coal and nuclear, as well as the benefits of Canadians moving to the 'soft' energy path.- factors that were front and centre in NCWC's 1992-95 Environment Canada Greenplan Partners Project .

Those very many NCWC members who participated in that earlier program, will remember how much public interest our energy conservation programs stirred up across the country from Halifax to Fort St. John ; what an excellent source of information the Conserver Newsletter was; the many helpful tips to apply to our own lives that were gleaned from public forum speakers and the expert NCWC AGM resource speakers e.g. Marjorie Lamb , author of 2 Minutes a Day for a Greener Planet, and the amazingly good response from over 560 respondents to our Energy Conservation- Making a Difference survey.

And, those of you who attended our AGM in Regina last Spring , or read about it on our web site or in NCWC's 2007 Summer Newsletter, will know of the huge challenge Canadians are facing and must overcome, to protect their limited fresh water resources, particularly in light of climate change. We know also, that within this daunting future, our energy use will play a huge role. It is our hope that with the knowledge gained from this project that NCWEF and NCWC can better help our members, the general public and the legislators understand the challenges and help shape a more sustainable future for Canada's freshwater resources - and our environment generally.

Celebrating Women

At the Annual Meeting in Edmonton, 2004, the Celebrating Women project was launched. This was a national touring art exhibition honouring the passion, pride and perseverance of Canadian Women. The exhibit featured the artwork of Canadian artist Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn and is a dynamic statement about the impact women have had on Canadian history.

Celebrating Women is sponsored by the National Council of Women of Canada. Developed as an education and fund raising project, Celebrating Women toured across Canada in 2004-06.

We continue to invite orders of the wonderful pieces of art, by Larisa, with all funds raised supporting the work of NCWC. You can print out the order form

Proceeds from the sales will be directed towards decreasing the many challenges women continue to face, particularly the ongoing issues of homelessness and personal safety.

Boutique Sales

The National Council of Women is proud to present Celebrating Women - a visual tribute to the dedication of all Canadian women who have participated in building a healthy, progressive and vibrant Canadian community.