American thirst, Canadian water / directed by Jerry Thompson.

New York, NY : Filmakers Library, 2000.

1 streaming video (43 min.).

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As water becomes more valuable than oil, possessing this resource will lead to enormous wealth or to war - probably both. This lucid and well-organized documentary explores the political issues behind control of this resource. Among the experts featured in this film is former Senator Paul Simon, who has devoted his retirement to studying the international water crisis. A political dispute has broken out between Canada and the U.S. and Mexico over NAFTA's original clause stating that water could be sold between the three countries. Many Canadian legislators disapprove of treating water as a commodity; they would halt its sale out of the country and rewrite the NAFTA clause. They fear losing control of their water, which would be sold to the highest bidder. The film takes a pending lawsuit against the Canadian federal government as an example. Sun Belt International, an American company, sought to transport Canadian water to California. The British Columbian government halted the sale. Sun Belt is suing for compensation. If Sun Belt wins, the international legal precedent could be monumental: water will become a tradable commodity in the global marketplace. Will local governments the world over lose control of their most precious natural resource?

ASP-AVON OCLC KB.

Images / Online / Video & Film

English

November 15, 2019

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