There's been a lot of debate lately on protecting Canada's sovereignty in the North. But for many interested in protecting the waters, the issue isn't about territorial rights - it's about the water itself.

• As climate change begins to affect the water supply, some politicians expect that the United States will begin to pressure Canada to share or sell fresh water. Currently, bulk export of fresh water is not allowed for environmental reasons. Entrepreneurs have attempted to bypass these rules before, but concerns over the repercussions under NAFTA have blocked actual development. The issue is unlikely to go away any time soon, and the scenarios for the future aren't pretty.
• ExxonMobil has been asked to pay another $92 million to clean residual damage from the 1989 Exxon Valdex oil spill. The oil has not broken down as originally expected, and some of it is believed to still be toxic. The company plans to review the request, but does not feel the request is justified.
• Lessons learned from the Valdez disaster help to fuel concerns over increased boat traffic in the Arctic. Inuit groups are concerned that between research vessels, tourism and mining, oil and gas companies, the amount of boat traffic may endanger the already fragile ecosystem in the Northern waters.

What can you do?

• Learn more about protecting Canada's drinking waters here.
• Keep an eye on ExxonMobil and let them know you want them to clean up their mess.