Environment and Conservation
March 22, 2016

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Conservation:

Provincial Government Recognizes World Water Day 2016

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this house and join with governments and organizations around the world today to recognize United Nations World Water Day.

Mr. Speaker, I remember working on a United Nations project in Turkmenistan in 1992 when we had to add chemicals, boil, and filter every sip of water. Jurisdictions such as that one face horrific situations because of contaminated water. It was an important experience for me to realize how lucky we are in Canada.

Safe and abundant drinking water is something that so many people take for granted and something that so many people around the world do not have available to them. I ask that as members reach for a glass of water here in the House today, they think about this important day and about those hundreds of millions of people around the world that are not so fortunate.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to addressing the challenges we face here in Newfoundland and Labrador in providing safe and sustainable drinking water systems, and ensuring high quality drinking water.

The theme of World Water Day 2016 is ‘water and jobs.’ I can’t imagine a better theme, as my department holds its annual Clean and Safe Drinking Water Workshop in Gander this week for approximately 300 water system operators and other drinking water professionals. We are also releasing the Drinking Water Safety in Newfoundland and Labrador annual report for 2015, and announcing spring 2016 training sessions for operators.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all Honourable members of this House to join with me in marking World Water Day 2016.

2016 03 22                                                                                    1:55 p.m.