Defending the Health of our Water with the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters

In 2021, several Canadian environmental groups, both non-profit organizations and para governmental organizations, came together in order to create the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters. This nonpartisan coalition proudly defends the health of our fresh water everywhere in the country. The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation is happy to be a part of it. 

What is the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters? 

The Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters advocates for political leadership from the federal government in order to face the issues related to water in our country. It now counts over 50 members across Canada, including AquaAction and the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. 

According to the Coalition, we need to change the way we relate to fresh water and the governance of this resource in Canada in order to ensure the health and protection of our water. They explain: “This must be a collaborative effort that involves all levels of government, engages Canadians, and leverages the population’s wealth of scientific, ecological, and traditional water knowledge. The federal government has a critical role to play in leading this transformation, and the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters is united around advocating for the federal government to play a strong and appropriate leadership role.”

Their Asks

In order to relieve the issues faced by water preservation and support healthy water, the Coalition is advocating for 3 actions from the federal government: 

• Build a Canada Water Agency
• Renew the Canada Water Act
• Introduce a Canada Water Fund that Invests 225$ million a Year in the Health of our Waters

The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation’s Role

The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation wants to play a leadership role by actively participating in the Coalition and acting as a liaison with Quebec’s stakeholders. Their unique position allows them to act as a catalyst and transcend cultural and linguistic barriers. Dominique Monchamp was chosen to sit on the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters’ steering committee in order to act as a lookout and make sure Quebec’s voice is heard. 

“At the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, we firmly believe that our privileged relationship with English Canadian groups as well as Quebec groups allows us to act as a unifier. We do not wish to be a decider or spokesperson: we would rather be a liaison between the different actors. My mission will be to transcend linguistic and cultural barriers in order to make relations easier between the parties.” - Dominique Monchamp, General Director of the de Gaspe Beaubien Foundation and member of the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters’ steering committee.

The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation has agreed to fund the translation of all the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters’ documentation; the objective being to ensure access to this content to Quebecers and any other French speaking Canadians. One of the first translations that was done was the French version of the Coalition’s website. 

Involved in both Quebec and Canada

It is not the first time that the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation has participated in helping the issue of water preservation in Canada. Earlier this year, it joined an ad hoc committee in Quebec with the goal of making recommendations related to the protection of our water to the Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as well as the Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri Food. This new association is done with the same goal of water preservation and enthusiasm regarding the creation of the future Canada Water Agency.

If the requests made by the Coalition are important to you, and you would also like to participate in changing things, take a look at the website and become a member.