He does it again: Mulcair tries to re-write history on water privatization and export

September 29, 2015

MONTREAL – Like clockwork: another debate, another denial by Thomas Mulcair on his support for the privatization and bulk export of our water.

Confronted with his statements in support of selling Canada’s water to the United States, Mulcair doubled down on his falsehoods:

 “That’s false, Justin, and you know it… When I was the minister we had lots of debates, but the important thing to look at is what we decided, and I decided to shut the door because bulk water exports would have been a terrible idea, especially under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the proportionality clause, and we made sure we shut the door and we locked it tight.” (Thomas Mulcair, September 29, 2015)

 The problem for Mulcair is that his version is at odds with the facts:

• A public debate over bulk water exports did take place in Quebec over five years, even involving a commission of inquiry, but it was not initiated by Mr. Mulcair. In fact, by the time Mr. Mulcair became Minister of the Environment in 2003, the question had already been settled with the adoption of the Parti Québécois government’s Quebec Water Policy, in November 2002.
• Mr. Mulcair did not simply initiate a debate on a question that had already been settled. He actively advocated for the privatization and bulk export of water as a regional development tool, going against his party’s own previous position on the issue. And as noted by Mr. Trudeau during the debate, we’ve got the video footage to prove it.
• It was not Mr. Mulcair who put an end to his promotion of bulk water exports, but then-Premier Jean Charest, who disavowed his minister. And it wasn’t Mr. Mulcair who locked the door shut once and for all on bulk water exports, but his successor in the environment portfolio, Line Beauchamp, through the 2009 Act to affirm the collective nature of water resources and provide for increased water resource protection, adopted a full two years after Mr. Mulcair had left provincial politics and joined the federal NDP.

Since Mr. Mulcair’s seems to have difficulty with the facts, here’s a quick reminder of what actually happened back in 2004, as reported in the Quebec media at that time:

Mulcair opens the door to water exports – Le Devoir, June 15, 2004

 “The Quebec Minister of the Environment, Thomas Mulcair, put into question one of the pillars of the National Water Policy yesterday when he opened the door to bulk water exports to create jobs in the regions, a door that had been shut by law in Quebec after a 5-year public debate and a commission of inquiry.”

Mulcair’s mind is already made up: we must export water in bulk – Journal de Montréal, June 18, 2004

 “Even before holding the debate that he wishes for on that issue over the months to come, the Minister has made up his mind, convinced that Quebec has for too long foregone tens of millions of dollars in revenues that would come from the exploitation of that resource. ‘I believe that because of this dogma, we’re depriving ourselves of an enormous potential,’ he said yesterday.”

 Bulk water exports – Water industrialists find the idea inopportune – Le Devoir, June 19, 2004

 “After being disavowed on Thursday by Premier Jean Charest, Environment Minister Thomas Mulcair’s approach in the bulk water exports file was qualified as being ‘inopportune’ by the president of Réseau Environnement, the association that represents the 1900 members of the Quebec water and filtration industry.

 On Thursday, Premier Jean Charest stated during his end of session press conference that ‘bulk water exports were never on the table.’ 

“Time and time again, Thomas Mulcair has demonstrated his willingness to twist the facts and re-write history. When he’s not saying one thing in French and another in English, he distorts his own record in an attempt to make Canadians forget his poor record on the environmental file while he was a Quebec cabinet minister,” said Liberal candidate for Lac-Saint-Louis, Francis Scarpaleggia. “After ten years of Stephen Harper, that last thing Canadians need in their Prime Minister is someone who is willing to play politics with anything and everything.”

 “Only Justin Trudeau has a plan for real change to take strong action to fight climate change, put a price on carbon pollution, and work with provinces and territories on the protection of our environment,” said Mr. Scarpaleggia.