Meet Our Canadian Water Czar.
Fox reports: The United Nations named a “water czar” this week to advise the world body on water policy. And while no one disputes the growing importance of water-supply issues around the globe, some are wondering if they’ve picked the right woman for the job.
Supporters say Maude Barlow of Canada is the perfect choice. “We are just thrilled. We think there’s no one better to fill this spot,” said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, of which Barlow is a board member.
“She has been probably the most outspoken and well-known advocate in making water a human right and making sure that water is in public control, not corporate control,” Hauter told FOXNews.com.
But critics say Barlow, 61, an activist from Nova Scotia with no scientific training, has no place advising the United Nations on hydrological issues. “[She] frequently resorts to hyperventilated or exaggerated claims — she’s convinced the bottled water industry is out to take over the world,” said Tom Lauria, vice president of communications for the International Bottled Water Association.
“She makes such outrageous statements that you wonder why the U.N. would entrust her with even a titular position.”
Barlow has accused major players in the water industry, like Suez Energy and Nestle Water, of violating human rights “in lots of cases” and has blamed them for sickness and death in a number of countries.
U.N. General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto introduced Barlow as his pick for the new position on Tuesday, a step in confronting the pollution and scarcity of water that Barlow calls “the most important human rights and ecological crisis of our time.”
Barlow reiterated that message on the 60th anniversary of the U.N.’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Thursday. “This is a wonderful opportunity to advance a more democratic and transparent method of policy making around water at the global level than now exists. Without water there is no life, water is a public good, and a human right,” said Barlow.
Here’s a current video from Maude… great to have a fine supporter of democracy in the UN. Code Pink likes her too.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Oh great the woman has never met a re-distribution scheme she did not love, I can see it now “Canada to supply Africa with water”.
In this time of world recession(As good a reason as any) the UN is a waste of money and resources and should be jailed err disbanded.