OTTAWA, March 12, 2012 /CNW/ - Students are calling to end the sale and consumption of bottled water on campuses, workplaces, and communities across the country. Over the past three years, over 22 campuses have taken action against bottled water. Students continue this fight and will mark the annual Bottle-Water-Free Day on March 15.
"While many Canadians benefit from excellent drinking water straight from their faucet, countless First Nations communities are currently being denied access to our most vital and essential resource," said Roxanne Dubois, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. "We must strengthen our public water infrastructure in Canada to ensure everyone's right to water."
Students have been critical of the bottled water industry for being wasteful, profit-driven, and subject to less regulation than public water sources. In communities across the country, students are raising awareness and taking action to protect water as a valuable and precious resource from corporate control.
"Putting an end to the sale of water is one step towards ensuring that clean drinking water is maintained as a basic human right for all", added Dubois. "Students will continue the fight to remove bottled water from our campuses and we will not allow our water to be owned by large companies and subject to privatization."
Students, workers, and community members fight against the commodification of water on a year-round basis through the "Back the Tap" campaign. More information on the campaign can be found at www.backthetap.ca.
The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest student organisation, uniting more that one-half million students in all ten provinces. The Federation and its predecessor organisations have represented students in Canada since 1927.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Roxanne Dubois, National Chairperson, 613-232-7394
Adam Awad, Deputy Chairperson, 613-232-7394
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