Water - TAKE ACTION!
Take Action to Protect Canada’s Water!
Here are some ways you can get involved:
Get together an active group of volunteers and start brainstorming some ideas. In order to get a lot of people to your vent, it should be informative, engaging and fun. Get creative with your planning, and find interesting ways to get people thinking and talking about water issues.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Film screenings
You can show political documentaries or feature films with water themes, either on a large-screen TV in a public room or a community movie theatre. The film could be used as a build up to a larger action.
Concerts, philosophers’ cafes and coffeehouses
The general rule for a concert is to plan to make more money than you spend organizing it. Try to get everything donated: the stage, sound equipment, bands, and food. Philosophers’ cafes and coffeehouses are organized around topics of discussion. It gives people a chance to get together, have drinks and snacks, and enjoy some discussion.
Outdoor rallies, parades, public demonstrations, street theatre and marches
These kinds of events do take a lot of planning to be successful, but they can be a great way to gain public attention. You will need a public venue, speakers, entertainment, visual aids like banners and placards, and a good crowd. In some locations, you may need to get a rally or parade permit. These events can work best if you can mix hard-hitting speeches with music and participatory exercises.
Panel discussions
In panel discussions speakers make short presentations, followed by discussion or questions from audience members. Having a petition or a letter to sign is also a good way to involve that audience. Make sure you choose a topic that matters to your community and have panelists that represent different views on the issue. Some panel topics could include: water as a human right, privatization of community water facilities, water, health and the environment, source protection and banning water exports, and bottled water.
Meet with your MP
Organize a group of citizens to meet with your MP, bring materials and fact sheets and discuss why Canada needs a National Water Policy.
Visit the Blue Planet Project website. It is an international civil society movement begun by The Council of Canadians to protect the world’s fresh water from the growing threats of trade and privatization.
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