Must see "Water, water everywhere" by JOHN BARBER from the Globe and two other stories
Tuesday 18 May 1999 Low water drains revenues SHEILA McGOVERN
Low water levels are already draining revenues from Canada's ships -
particularly those that ply the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway -
and the season is still young.
Subject: water
Date: Sun, 16 May 1999
From: Judith Patterson patj@alcor.concordia.ca
To: "D.T. Nicholson"
Hi Diana & David-
I am back from Los Vegas, where my girlfriend has a swimming
pool and automatic irrigation system for her garden and grass lawn.
This morning on the radio I heard about the low water levels in the great
lakes and St. Lawrence. Two ships have gotten stranded, due to low water,
in the Lake St. Clair area, between Lake Erie and Lake Huron. Water levels
in the Montreal dock area are 2 metres below normal. Can you imagine if we
were committed to exporting a specific quantity to the states so they could
water their lawns and fill their swimming pools?
I got all my diagrams done for my talk after a very late Wednesday night in
the office, and now tomorrow (Monday) the conference starts, and ends at
noon on Wednesday. So see you Wednesday night!
Judith
See Judith Patterson site also
she is on the Board of Directors of the
Centre for Sustainable Transportation and
Concordia.ca/geol
Monday 17 May 1999
Water level far too low, panel says UYEN VU Drinking water in some areas
could be in short supply and
ships might not be able to
navigate the St. Lawrence
Seaway if warm temperatures
persist and rainfall stays low,
a government panel warned
yesterday.
Wednesday-Night #894 Water
UNA Gala98 report
Monday 3 May 1999 Catch of the day Ken Tait's little heat-saving fish is starting to look bigger all the time PAUL DELEAN ... There are eight to 12 million swimming pools in the U.S., compared to maybe 500,000 in Canada." = (24 times)
5 May 1999
Great Lakes water levelslowest in decades NANDA TIERI, The Canadian Press
Tales of boaters hitting dry patches in lakes, fish habitats in jeopardy and boat docks
overlooking wide expanses of soil instead of water are the talk of lakeside towns
across Ontario.
Wednesday Night Salon # 894
Wednesday Evening April 21 1998 was an exceptional one, even by Nicholson
standards. Only two subjects were debated by the over forty guests who overflowed from the dining room to the two adjacent rooms. The discussion which was lively until after midnight, left those present with sufficient objective information on both sides of each issue to enable them to formulate their own informed opinion, or to accept the existence of two or more irreconcilable views for every conflict or problem.
It was also encouraging that so much passion was demonstrated on the subject of the environment - too often Wednesday-Night is passionate only about markets and money!
The large number of guests included several new faces and several who have been absent for some time, such as Germaine Gibara, Margo Somerville and Guy Versailles.
The "featured guest" George Cavadias, eminent hydrologiost and former professor at McGill did not disappoint. He wisely led and stimulated the discussion, clarifying a number of doubtful points. George and his wife Barbara were introduced by Stratton Stevens.
Jack Wasserman |
Elizabeth Wojtowicz returned after a long absence, bringing with her Jack Wasserman who countered the Tree-hugger positions with articulated views from the business world. In this, he was ably assisted by René Miglierina of the Institut canadien des produits![[Version en français]](fr.gif)
pétroliers.
Guacira Moreira-Naves |
Ron De Paola |
Guacira Moreira-Naves came with her husband, Ron De Paola and was introduced by Graham Fowler
Richard Wajes, in town from Toronto where he works now as a headhunter, introduced Catherine Salisbury, former publisher of the Montreal Mirror.
The Issue: Should Canada sell surplus water to countries (the United States
in particular) where needed?
To set the tone, an e-mail from Washington-based former Wednesday-Nighters, David and Terry Jones.
Dear Diana and David,
There are many aspects of the Canadian ethos that particularly puzzle me.
One of those has been the passion devoted to the implicit conviction that
the U.S. is after Canadian water -- and that Canadians must not sell it at
any price. Abstractly, it would appear to be the perfect renewable
resource, but that conclusion seems overly simplistic on my part given the
intensity of the discussion on the topic among Canadians. I will be
looking forward to your conclusions from the Wednesday-Night discussion.
The Debate:
Canada has an overabundance of Much of Canada's water is
water. It would be morally inaccessible, (in frozen .
wrong for us to hoard it when tundra.
others are in need.
There is a finite quantity of Technically, the supply is
water in the world. Canada infinite over time, but only
is most fortunate in having over time. At the moment,
more than its share. water level is at an all time
low in James Bay and in the
Great Lakes system. Depleting
it further could have
devastating effects on the eco-
system. There has been
record low rainfall over the
past years.
Large hydro reservoirs (except
in the far north) favour
evaporation, affecting nature.
Can we morally say no to the You can say no to an addicted
American mid-west, so in need gambler. The U.S. has put
of water? cities where they should not be,
have been profligate with their
It is shameful that we should own resources. There are times
refuse. We have an excess and. when you should say no.
there is a need.
It is not OUR water. It
merely passes through our
land.
When the French began exporting. The world's population has
Vichy water, no thought was tripled in our lifetime.
given to the end result, and We can no longer
no apparent harm was done. talk in terms of past paradigms.
The problem is that water is WATER IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER
very underpriced. A free NATURAL RESOURCE in that there
market would resolve the issue. is no substitute available.
The Grand Canal scheme would Diversions cannot be made
not have diverted water, merely without consequences. Science
recycled it as it emptied into frequently produces unforseen
James Bay. Results. The Saguenay flood offers
a good illustration of what happens
When we try to "fool Mother Nature"
The proposed solution:
The medium term solution has been to refer the issue of export of water by Canada to the United States and the implications of the provisions of NAFTA to the International Joint Commission
As Michele Jodoin states in her excellent article which is to appear in the August 1999 issue of the Quebec Order of Urbanists' bulletin:
Soucieux que les ressources en eau le long de la frontière canado-américaine ne fassent l'objet de demandes croissantes et que des projets visant à dévier ou à exporter d'importantes quantités d'eau de ces bassins ne soient à prévoir, les gouvernements fédéraux du Canada et des États-Unis ont demandé à la Commission mixte internationale (CMI) d'étudier cette question, de consulter les autres niveaux de gouvernement et toute source jugée pertinente et de leur faire rapport sur la protection des eaux de surface et des eaux souterraines. Les deux pays procéderont par la suite à une modification de leur Loi sur le traité des eaux limitrophes internationales et le Canada, pour sa part, négociera avec les gouvernements provinciaux un Accord pancanadien sur les prélèvements d'eau à grande échelle.
We must all buy into a framework for future generations and in so doing, clarify the issues surrounding privatization and public ownership. Any framework cannot be limited to water alone, but must include real and potential impact on world climate and eco-systems. The conclusions of Wednesday Night might well be summed up by the citation below
LA GESTION INTÉGRÉE DE L'EAU
La gestion de l'eau implique une multitude d'espaces géographiques et de structures administratives. Elle nécessite une approche multidimensionnelle dans laquelle la ressource n'est plus perçue uniquement en fonction des usages, mais aussi dans ses interrelations avec l'environnement social, culturel, politique et économique. À une pratique sectorielle doit se substituer une approche intégrée qui prendra en charge les dimensions technique, politique, sociale, culturelle et environnementale de la ressource.
Ce concept a fait l'objet d'un consensus lors de la conférence mondiale sur l'environnement et le développement tenue à Rio de Janeiro en juin 1992.
Lahouari Senouci Ph.D.
Tuesday 27 April 1999
NATO's responsibility Last weekend, the leaders of the 19 member countries of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization refused even to
address the issue of sending ground troops into Kosovo
without the prior agreement of Yugoslav President
The Issue:
The moral dilemma of intervening in Kosovo.
Clinton became distracted by . There is no such thing as a
the Lewinsky affair. We're . just war.
bombing the inside and forcing .
the refugees outside and we . Clinton is not a leader, but
don't know what to do with them . a survivor. The world is
. suffering the consequence.
We didn't think through the .
consequences . The fact that we did not act in
. Africa does not mean that we
. should not act elsewhere.
.
. The European community could not
. have overlooked this conflict
. on its borders, just bordering
. Austria. This is a serious test
. of the E.E.C. and of NATO and
. of their future existence.
.
NATO has added to the . From a military point of view
suffering of the Albanian . Serbia acted well. The greatest
Kosovars. . danger in the event of a ground
. attack is not from ground troops
. but from the hostile local
. population.
.
What about David Price's
He acted in an irresponsible intervention... politically partisan manner, potentially endangering Canadian commandos. More importantly, who was his source? He has in any event been condemned by most of his peers. He should not resign, he should be fired!
The threat of Russian rockets
aimed at London was real unlike his previous intervention concerning North Korean missiles aimed at Montreal!
CONCLUSION:
Should we have intervened? Answer: YES
Was this the best way of intervening? Answer: NO
Air strikes cannot accomplish what needs to be done. We should have intervened with ground forces. We did not because that action would not have been acceptable, risks are too high that this would become a bloody and protracted war with fierce opposition from troops familiar with the terrain and devoted to keeping out foreign intervention.
How will it end: The United States will declare victory and find a way out.
On that encouraging note, it was time for Barry Lazar to thank George Cavadias, Mac Mercer, Judith Patterson and the many other active participants for a most stimulating, thought-provoking evening.
Reported by Herb Bercovitz
Additional notes and editing by Diana Thébaud Nicholson
For more Environment Links
the UNA Gala98 front page
How many of you remember the headline in The Gazette of January 18th 1999"FEDS SET TO PULL PLUG ON WATER EXPORTS and its sub-head "Some Americans believe trade deals we signed give them a right to drain our lakes and rivers"? by Treance Wills (saved)
The issues involved range from bulk shipments by tanker from B.C. to Southern California to vast projects such as GRAND (Great Recycling and Northern development) Canal intended to divert James Bay water to the US Southwest and NAWAMP (North American Waters - A Master Plan) which would pipe Lake Ontario water to Manhattan.
More recently (April 13) The Gazette carried an op-ed piece by Paul Simon WATER FIGHT with the sub-head "In the next century, water increasingly will become important and a flashpoint among nations". n/a
But Tuesday 13 April 1999 Get rid of the sludge Chretien government's ambitious scheme to renovate the Lachine Canal?
How finite is the Canadian water supply?
In the next 50-90 years, the world population will double while the supply of water will remain constant. Should we contemplate selling it to the U.S.,and, more importantly, as the effects of global warming, climate change and desertification are increasingly felt by Developing countries, how should the international community allocate water resources and how "sovereign" will individual nations' decisions be?
Judith Patterson
|
Food (or moisture) for thought
The heretic of Laguna Beach
"Gregory Benford is raising hackles by claiming we could stop global warming by increasing pollution. But what really bugs environmentalists is that his ideas may not be as crazy as they sound"
This article from shift magazine April 1999 describes the theory of a California professor and theoretical physicist who has recently published "Deep Time" in which he rejects the possibility of restoring the globe to its natural state.
[different site but please e-mail us the URL to this story when/if you find it (in the April issue) DTN]
He argues that we must use technology to solve the problems created by technology. An example: block some of the heat from the sun to reduce global warming by dispersing small amounts of carbon dust in the upper atmosphere to produce clouds of water vapour to partially filter out sunlight. He suggests "...up the fuel ratio in commercial jet aircraft...a small amount of unburned fuel would be emitted, encouraging the formation of very thin clouds at 35 000 feet."
While the EPA is "skeptical", there is grudging support for the scientific soundness of some of his ideas, even from the director of the Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy program.
As Paul Simon says" ...political will can only emerge if the more fortunate among us bestir ourselves and recognize that all of humanity will be harmed if we do not find sensible answers."
Montreal as an important international center of environmental organizations and allied technology should be at the forefront of these decisions.
What can - and should - we be doing about these issues?
We will have Dr. George Cavadias, hydrologist and former professor at McGill University to lead this discussion with input from Mac Mercer of IUCN (see sites at:http://www.iucn.ca for Canada office and http://waterandnature.org for the World Water Vision consultations)
Dr. Judith Patterson |
Judith Patterson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Concordia's Geology Programme has written a number of papers on aviation matters pertaining to alternative fuels and her expertise lies particularly in the area of environmental impact assessments at airports (consequently, polluted water).
Here are the topics that were covered in her reading list last year on water:
- pollution of ground and surface waters from roadway runoff
- toxic metal loading into streams from runoff
- herbicide runoff (from farms) into the Mississippi R.
- nutrient changes in the Gulf of Mexico (some dead zones) due to
fertilizer runoff into the Mississippi
- pesticide contamination in the sediments in the Arabian Sea off India
- arsenic in groundwater in India and Bangladesh (due to over drawing on wells)
- the Aral Sea
- nitrogen overloading
These issues affect our society, our economy and our future.
David and Diana Nicholson
P.S. We would like to draw your attention to the op-ed piece in Saturday's Gazette by Guy Stanley and Stephen Blank: "BIG GAINS FOR CANADA The 10-year-old free-trade deal with the U.S. has been an economic boon and also paved the way for a stronger international role in resolving trade disputes"
By the way the "P" in water is silent and Fish Piss, if you've never come across it before, is a "Zine's charting new waters" says ELIZABETH BROMSTEIN
In the next 50-90 years, the world population will double while the supply
of water will remain constant.
I'll try to be there. Interesting article in this week's Manchester Guardian
Weekly about European demographics with a projected population devolution of
perhaps a half a billion people in the next hundred years. The birth rate is
significantly less than the 2.1 needed for repopulation. Canada and the USA
are in the same situation. So the issue is not world population doubling (our
water will not go to Africa, India or China) but of massive agricultural and
urban dependance upon locally scarce resources. We have planted cities and
farms in areas that should naturally be deserts (much of California, the
Prairies). North Americans waste tremendous amounts of water. We have screwed
things up with our lifestyle not population. Anyway, there is today's rant.
cheers, Barry
From: BarryLazar@aol.com
Notes from
Wednesday Night Salon #891
March 31, 1999
These days it is not easy to set an agenda for Wednesday-Night. There is a tradition that wars start - and end - on Wednesdays, and this generally occurs without advance notice.
Saturday 17 April 1999 Must heritage suffer? ...The city says the Lepine condo project on Atwater Ave. will bring $600,000 to $700,000 a year in property taxes, but no
figures are available for the other projects.
Kosovo
As NATO prepared to mark its 50th
birthday, its aircraft continued to bomb Yugoslavia, hitting Slobodan Milosevic’s residence or economist.com if above fails
Wednesday 21 April 1999
Chretien owes explanation on Kosovo by DUART FARQUHARSON... Lester
Pearson called for a ceasefire and intervention by a UN
emergency force.
It passed without opposition and was accepted reluctantly
by Britain and France. The invasion was halted in two
days. Pearson subsequently was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize.
If Canada has upward of 50 commandos operating secretly inside Kosovo, Conservative MP David Price has done
them potential harm [is this man on our side? He should be shot for giving aid to the enemy! DTN] ...These were irresponsible statements on Mr. Price's part, a
possibly dangerous disservice to Canadians engaged in
NATO's campaign in Yugoslavia. [he must be FIRED DTN]
Monday, April 19, 1999
Military analysts say NATO deaths could top 5,000 in ground war
Horrendous obstacles: Entry to Kosovo could take months to solve; battle
could last years Peter Goodspeed National Post (saved)
Camp of Misery: Kosovar refugees bed in yesterday at a makeshift camp in Blace, Macedonia, near the Yugoslav border.
|
Saturday 17 April 1999
The long haul No sign that NATO bombing campaign is weakening Serb resolve
Burning villages. Well-fed Serb
soldiers flashing
victory signs. Inside
Kosovo, there is no
sign that the Serbs
are scared and
running from the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Is NATO correct to carry out the threat to intervene? Should the threat have been made??
Opinions around the table are deeply divided on many aspects of this issue.
As our good friend Misha would remind us, the history of Kosovo, ever since the 1389 battle in which a Serbian hero (Prince Lazar) was killed is so closely identified with Serb nationalism that it is unthinkable to Serbs to permit full autonomy, let alone annexation to Albania
John agrees with Mihailo |
Dr. Judith Patterson offered some more thoughts on
Kosovo:
Of course we are going to have to rebuild the country, as the wise old
gentleman with white hair said. Every time I hear of another bridge blown
up, I think, we are bombing them back into the Stone Age. What good did it
do to destroy the Yugo car factory (yes, I know it was used for military
manufacture, but what are they going to do for cars now)?
Strategic Value or Mineral Value of Kosovo: I think (but I may be incorrect) that the route for an oil pipeline from the new oil reserves in
the former USSR republics goes across Yugoslavia to get to the Med. I may
be wrong about this, but somewhere I think I heard/read this.
Nato/Europe's interest: the last thing they would want is another world
war. They (the EU) are emerging as an international monetary, political,
and economic force. A war would destroy everthing they have built up over
the last 50 years since the last war.
Urban issues
Real Estate Boom
Mayor Peter pointed out that
Mayor Bourque has been trying to reverse the effects of
Mayor Doré's policies which drove the middle class away from City centre. Despite the urban renewal, there is still a relatively small number of people living in Montreal proper.
Although there has been only a relatively modest economic recovery, there has been a sudden rise in real estate prices (Westmount's within "spitting distance" of the high of 1989) and in rapid turnover of the larger houses across the MUC.
(NB: a neighboring house on Rosemount Avenue had a sign up for half a day and sold for $1.2 million.)
Tony Deutsch
Brent Walker |
Another guest alluded to the new book by Diane Francis in which she recommends Montreal real estate as one of the best buys in Canada.
The Technodome Project
The Reichmans' project for the area just west of Cité du Havre is not a firm deal. The Montreal site may be no more than a negotiating ploy given that Toronto has not agreed to the first choice site in that city. If the project does come to Montreal, the condition of that land could be a problem; it was the main parking lot during Expo 67 and there were serious problems of noxious gasses under the asphalt.
Montreal - Mega-city or not?
Wednesday 21 April 1999
Tear up city map, panel tells Quebec
Report radical, sweeping SEAN GORDON
Westmount Mayor Peter Trent said the report amounts to
"urbanicide."
"The commission's goal was to look at fiscal issues, and there
were interesting things,'' he said.
"Unfortunately, they've decided to wade into the issues of
structures. We will always say that forced amalgamations are
just not on. To a man and to a woman and to a dog and to a cat
É there would be 100-per-cent rejection of (amalgamation)
simply because we're extremely well run."
Wednesday 21 April 1999
Mergers are the wrong move There is no estimate on
how much money would be saved, no discussion of what
would happen to property- tax rates.
Also worth supporting is Mr. Bedard's proposal to turn 20
per cent of sales-tax revenue from hotels, restaurants and
amusements over to Quebec municipalities. In this case, the
commission did do its homework properly and found that
Montreal would stand to collect $15 million from the move.
Tuesday 20 April 1999
Forced mergers rejected Cote St. Luc draws line on eve of Quebec report DARREN BECKER ... Cote St. Luc Mayor Robert Libman said the resolution was
drawn up in the wake of a provincial-government proposal
leaked to the media last month suggesting that the MUC
municipalities be reorganized.
Mayor Peter Yeomans of Dorval sums up the suburban mayors' reaction to the merger proposals from Minister Harel we're not ready for municipal cleansing. There is concern that services and quality of life in the megacity would deteriorate for most citizens, the levels dropping to the lowest common denominator. Economies of scale drove Toronto to
amalgamation, but Mayor Peter Trent cited the research conducted by a professor at Western University that proves that in fact the cities studied all experienced increases in costs along with concurrent drops in service levels.
See: "Beware Merger Mania", Henry Aubin's column in The Gazette, March 31st. Please go to
our amalgamation page for Trent's thoughts and this and other links. [Amalgamation will happen if those opposed don't improve their arguments DTN] Do see our amalgamation? page
Reed Stefan Peter |
In response to Reed Scowen's comment regarding his very pleasant recent experience with the Stanton Street Police Station, Mayor Peter reminded him that Westmount had fought hard to maintain the decentralized service, giving Westmount residents the community policing Reed admires.
Carroll McCormick likened the different municipalities to individual shops that offer unique mixes of products and services suited to the customers. Mega-cities resemble the Big Box stores offering lower prices but limited choice.
His Worship commented that it is strange that governments in general opposed to private monopolies Banks(e.g. the bank mergers) have no qualms about limiting the people's choice in this matter. Montreal does indeed have a problem: a high percentage of poor people, and high taxes that have caused the flight of the middle class to the suburbs. Let's deal with those problems by:
- restoring the public transit subsidies removed by Claude Ryan;
- Creating a tax on development beyond Montreal's borders;
- Developing a method of tax base sharing.
The suburban mayors responded Tuesday to the merger proposal with a plan of their own that proposes a new regional superstructure to replace the ailing MUC. The sphere of influence of the new development commission would include Laval and the South Shore, effectively embracing over half of the population of Québec. Minister Harel has not yet responded. Mayor Bourque was not consulted. More to come undoubtedly.
See: "Mayors detail new plan" , by Michael Mainville, The Gazette, March 31st
See our first Surround Pan of "la cucina" at 388 Victoria
Thank you to Andrew de Courcy-Ireland for the comments below
This is typical of what we see at our Stk Forecasts page
or
Stk forecast Banks
The medium term solution has been to refer the issue of export of water by Canada to the
We have found a 800k computer program to test/fix your computer which you can get FREE at our Y2k page One of the computers at Wednesday-Night.com is ok the other needs help. Remember all you need to do if all else fails is set your date to the year 1972. It is the same as 2000!
From: George Archer
From: Leo Kolivakis
Sent: April 16, 1999 10:19 AM
To: Researchers
Subject: Japan and Asia
Here are two lengthy reports from Asian Business Watch which analyze the
recent performance of the Japanese and Asian markets. These markets have
been performing exceptionally well since the start of the year and many
analysts argue that this is the beginning of a sustained recovery.
Please e-mail us for a copie
For more on Water go Wed 911 Water and/or
China
and then 3 more stoties
893
#895Mega-City
our Medical Web ..Super Hospital
Judith Patterson, Ph.D.
George Cavadias & Diana Nicholson
George Cavadias 
Stratton in a little bit of heaven
Rick Schultz & Jill Hugessen
Please phone (514) 934-0023