Authors: Larissa Sommerfeld and David Hume
In the fall of 2011, Bob Sandford, Co-Chair of the Forum for Leadership on Water (FLOW) embarked on a 16 city cross-Canada tour to give a lecture titled “Northern Voices, Southern Choices: Water Policy Lessons for Canada.” The purpose of the tour was to showcase the Northwest Territories 2010 water strategy, Northern Voices, Northern Waters, to discuss the challenges associated with implementing the strategy and to show how it is relevant to the rest of Canada.
On November 21 and 22, 2011, Bob Sandford brought his tour to Edmonton and Calgary. The Canada West Foundation acted as a co-host for two roundtable discussions where a group of nearly 40 individuals from industry, government, academia and non-governmental organizations were in attendance. Participants had the opportunity to hear Bob Sandford’s thoughts on the Northern Voices, Northern Waters strategy and discuss challenges and opportunities that arise as a result of the strategy.
Northern Voices, Southern Choices: Water Policy Lessons for Alberta is the synthesis report from the two Alberta roundtable discussions that looks at how Canada can learn from the Northwest Territories to ensure the sustainability of our nation’s water resources.