Water

Once in a while as I drive out through the countryside to work I lose myself in thought. For the past few days it has been about water. I know that we all know how essential it is, but do we really appreciate it as much as we should? It's been a few months since I've been anywhere where the water is scarce and what flows out of the tap is far from drinkable. And it's been years since I experienced the days of '3 days on 4 days off' with water in the peak of the dry season in Honduras.

Because we're so spoiled with the abundance of water in Canada I don't really think of it on a day to day basis, but this film has made me think this week. Jim and I saw it a few months ago when it was playing at the Globe. And now it has reached the top 10 at blockbuster and some friends rented it earlier in the week and invited us to watch it with them. It was just as good the second time as the first. You'll have to watch it to see for yourself, but I would vote it as one of the best films I've ever seen. The subject, the writing, the cinematography, everything. It really moved me.

Also in the news this week is the fact that 76 first nations communities in Canada are under a boil water alert. The water supply in two thirds of first Nations communities is considered to be "at risk". I could rant for days about the status of First Nations Peoples in Canada, but suffice to say that these numbers appall me and that I hope the improvements made in the past few years will lead to more attention and action in this situation.