Canadian water in a thirsty world : pressures and challenges

Water is, and has been the driver of civilizations. In Canada there exists a "myth of superabundance" within both the government and public psyche which has driven profligate and unsustainable water use. Jurisdictional fragmentation, pollution and the potential for bulk water transfers threaten Canadian water. With a lack of a cohesive federal policy for water, Canadian water is at risk. At its root this, like all resource management, is a cultural problem. Any solutions to this seemingly intractably complex problem are ultimately social in origin and rest on a paradigm shift in resources management in the country. Hisotrical examples are employed to contextualize the situation. The move to the "soft-path" management of water with concomitant reduction of reliance on infrastructure to reduce pressures is addressed. Thes domestic issues are made more pressing my [sic] global water scarcity.