MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2008

All School Boards should follow Ottawa-Carleton’s lead, says Maude Barlow

Ottawa - Maude Barlow and the Council of Canadians congratulate the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board on seeking to eliminate bottled water in its 150 schools. The Board passed a motion last night requiring staff to report on a plan to eliminate the regular sale and purchase of bottled water in all facilities of the school board.

“This shows great leadership on the part of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and we call on all school boards across the country to follow suit,” says Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians.

With the recent bottled water ban by the Waterloo Region Board and strong indications that a similar ban may take place in the 560 schools of the Toronto Board, the organization is hoping this will become a trend throughout Ontario and across the country.

“At a time when we are dealing with the impacts of climate change, the bottled water industry requires massive amounts of fossil fuels to manufacture and transport its goods,” says Barlow.

“Canada has one of the best public drinking water systems in the world and our governments must work to improve this system rather than forcing our children to pay for what should be a basic human right.”

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For more information, please contact:
Dylan Penner, Media Officer: Tel.: (613) 233-4487, ext. 249; .