Town hall meeting on water

Image from Jean Letourneau's website, anchored by Grand Ile.

Francis Scarpaleggia, Member of Parliament for the riding of Lac St. Louis, and the Liberal Party Water Critic, is hosting a public meeting on water. A guest panel will address the topic, including:

• water levels in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River
• the impacts of climate change on Canada's freshwater
• and the state of our local watershed.

The meeting will take place Thursday, January 31, 2008, 7:30 p.m. at the Beaconsfield High School Auditorium, 250 Beaurepaire Drive, Beaconsfield. Prior to commencement, a short film on water, "Le Fleuve aux grandes eaux" by Frédéric Back will be shown at 7:00 p.m.

Guest panel includes:

• Dr. Chandra A Madramootoo
• Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
• Mcgill University, Macdonal Campus
• Benoit Paré
• President
  
• Comité ZIP Ville Marie
• Tom McAuley
• Engineering Adviser of the Canadian Section,
  
• International Joint Commission
• Jacques J. Trottier
• Manager, Water (Treatment and Studies)
• SNC-Lavalin
  

Scarpaleggia has a number of docs on his website on the topic. Madramootoo has done extensive work on water table management, water quality vis-a-vis agricultural irrigation and drainage. He has also addressed the local concerns of phosphates as has Scarpaleggia. Madramootoo's work takes him near and afar, including Lake Champlain and Sri Lanka. Zip Ville-Marie's website is also worthwhile and Montreal Sailing notes that Claude Martin, vice-president, Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons - Québec sits on ZIP Ville Marie's Board. The International Joint Commission website is where you can find docs regarding their International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Study, water level regulation, hydro power damming, and the impacts of activity on water quality. Montreal sailors amongst various individuals and groups have made submissions to their consultations. The IJO is still in discussion stages with various governments about final recommendations that will be followed by public hearings.