This week the Montreal Economic Institute published a report saying Quebec should sell its water because it's a "wealth-creating idea." Not surprisingly, this has sparked a critical response, especially since &ndash as cited in that Globe & Mail piece, "just last Wednesday, The Canadian Press revealed that Environment Canada had warned in a draft internal report last December that the country's supplies of fresh water are not as plentiful as once thought."

Climate is changing and the quantities of water we're used to may not always be available. Selling a share to other countries now for short-term gain would be foolhardy. But more than this: the "blue gold" cited by the Montreal Economic Institute, reliably always on the side of big money, wouldn't go into the pockets of the ordinary working person. We'd find ourselves paying a new water utility bill so that investors could profit from selling our water to thirsty Americans. Let's not be made dupes about this. posted at 15:24