for Putting

A communicAtions

WaterOn the

Federal agenda

toolkit

contentAcknowledgements

This Toolkit was written by David Minkow and Lindsay Telfer of the Canadian Freshwater Alliance with Tony Maas, Project Lead for the Our Living Waters initiative, in October 2015. We’d like to acknowledge the contribution of the Our Living Waters Building the Water Movement Working Group for their contributions in promoting and supporting the “Call to Action for Federal Leadership on Fresh Water.” Specifically, we’d like to thank Jocelyne Rankin of Ecology Action Centre in Nova Scotia, Kirsten Earl McCorrister of Lake Winnipeg Foundation and Dana McDonald of Evergreen Canada for their advice and feedback.

This toolkit was supported through the general support that Mountain Equipment Co-op and the Sitka Foundation have generously provided to the Our Living Waters Initiative.

Our Living Waters is an emerging national initiative that aims to amplify the voice and impact of Canada’s water community by collaborating, coordinating action and tracking progress under a common strategic framework. Our Living Waters is administered by Tides Canada and coordinated through the Canadian Freshwater Alliance. To learn more visit: www.ourlivingwaters.ca

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................3

Leading with Shared Values ........................................................................................................4

Call for Federal Leadership Flashcards .....................................................................................5

Federal Leadership for Our Living Waters .......................................................................5

Mobilizing Water Knowledge ..........................................................................................6

Modernizing and Implementing Law & Policy .................................................................7

Building Water Sustainable Cities & Economies .............................................................8

Supporting a Collaborative Water Community ...............................................................9

Media Tips & Tools ....................................................................................................................10

Writing an Op-ed ...........................................................................................................10

Letters to the Editor .......................................................................................................11

Social Media ..................................................................................................................12

reAd the full cAll to Action for federAl leAdershiP on fresh wAter At:

www.ourlivingwAters.cA

introductionCanada’s federal government needs to lead the way on protecting our precious lakes, rivers and streams. That’s because no matter where you live in Canada and no matter what the issues are in your community, your water quality is affected by the growing void in leadership at the federal level on water.

For fresh water to become a national priority for the next federal government of Canada, it must be made abundantly clear how important the issue is to the people of Canada. This toolkit is designed to help you do that.

Thank you for your interest in and support for the Call to Action for Federal Leadership on Fresh Water and its target of having all of Canada’s waters in good health by 2025. To help build momentum for a visionary decade-long Canada-wide effort, we are asking you to spread the word in your communities.

The call to action is organized around four themes, and this toolkit provides flashcards on how to talk about the ideas and actions in each theme. It also provides samples of various ways to communicate these talking points, for you to tailor as you see fit.

Fresh water is such a big part of who we are as Canadians. If we are able to build a diverse and unified national voice calling for federal leadership, we will ensure that our water wealth is protected and valued for long into the future.

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Securityour desire to feel safe and secure and have a good future for ourselves and our families is fundamental to our well being. Highlight threats to our water security to motivate broad segments of the population who view Canada as a fragile stability in a world of chaos, and fear that this stability is slipping away.

Vitalityto be healthy and to thrive, we need clean fresh water.Talk about water as living and as life itself to spark powerful emotions around the need for the federal government to do its part to help ensure the health of our local waterways.

Wealthnot just the monetary kind, but the idea of what truly makes our lives rich: “real wealth.” Make the connection between freshwater health and economic stability--water is needed to grow food, generate energy, drive tourism, etc--as a way to highlight why freshwater protection should be a national priority.

ingenuitythe innovation and smarts to overcome our challenges by implementing new and creative solutions. Tout the notion of “advancement” and our identity as a people who don’t let apparent obstacles stand in our way – we can take advantage of the latest knowledge, insights and technology to drive an ethic for a water-secure future.

Prudencethe belief that it’s not right to be wasteful, even if something seems to be in abundance. Tap into the idea that Canadians are a wise and sensible lot, and want to see the federal government promote conservation and efficiency of water above and below ground.

JOyBeing on, in or near water tends to make us feel happy and free.Evoke positive water memories that represent the essence of freedom--it’s often where we go to escape from the daily grind--to build support for freshwater protection.

FairneSSwater is a basic human right and it’s unjust if people don’t have equal access to it. (Canadians don’t like things unfair—biased referees or backroom deals.)As part of a moral call for leadership, highlight the plight that many people in Canada have in accessing fresh clean water--when reminded of inequities, Canadians rise in support.

Prideif it is true that we have something unique and precious to the world, then it is equally true that we have a duty and a responsibility to protect it. Promote how freshwater is core to our national identity and take that pride in our beautiful and productive lakes, rivers and streams to drive a responsibility to safeguard them.

We have identified eight core values that you can use when talking about your local water issues and calling

for federal leadership on fresh water.

leading With

Shared ValueS

(choose those that are most relevant to your region): Talking Points

ResponsibilityThe federal government has a clear role in safeguarding fresh water, including international and inter-provincial water management; protection of fish and their habitat; water navigation; and drinking water in First Nations communities. The federal government once played an important, cooperative role with provinces and territories on water planning and management, providing funding, science, guidance and oversight--we need a new era of partnerships and progress focused on a sustainable water future.

Candian LifeWater is at the essence of Canadian life. Whether we live in British Columbia, New Brunswick or Nunavut -- we all need clean water to live, work and play. But it takes leadership to safeguard water, ensure community access and availability, and protect it for ecosystem uses.

PartnershipsThe target of “all of Canada’s waters in good health” is well within our reach. But for that to happen, the next federal government must provide leadership, working in partnership with provinces, territories, aboriginal and local governments to protect our water health and water wealth.

Identity Fresh water is part of what it means to be Canadian. Our beautiful and bountiful lakes, rivers and streams help make Canada a wonderful place to live. To ensure it stays that way, freshwater protection must become a top national priority.

Equality Everyone and everything deserves access to clean fresh water. No people, no waters, no fish left behind.

Highly Valued Clean fresh water is more precious than gold. And the people of Canada know it. It’s time for the federal government to treat it as a highly valued resource.

fairness

wealth

vitality

ingenuity

security

Pride

federAl leAdershiP for our living wAters

Core MessageThe Call to Action for Federal Leadership on Fresh Water asks the next Government of Canada to set a natonal target of all waters in Canada in good health by 2025.

What’s the problem?There is no national vision for the health and sustainability of fresh water in Canada. Many of the building blocks are prevalent, including: substantial and diverse experience and expertise; precedent-setting regional water policy and management initiatives; and a natural ability to innovate and collaborate to drive progress without reinventing the wheel. National leadership is now needed to bring all of these pieces together to make the Canadian federation work for water.

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moBiliZing wAter knowledge

Core MessageYou have a right to know the health of fresh water wherever you live in Canada. This information should be comparable and accessible for the Canadian public.

What’s the problem?There is little consistency and comparability in measures of freshwater health across the country. Additionally, there are far too many gaps in the data needed to assess threats to and health of our waterways. The information that does exist is typically difficult to access and understand. There needs to be a common and transparent approach for assessing freshwater health across the country.

(choose those that are most relevant to your region): Talking Points

UnderstandingTo have all waters in good health, there needs to be a baseline understanding of current conditions. This information is critical to protecting healthy waters from future threats and developing plans to restore waters that are in poor health.

A Common ApproachA common national approach for monitoring and reporting on freshwater health will tell us what we need to know about the condition of our waters.

No SecretsThe health of our waters should not be kept a secret. We deserve to know if our waters are healthy or not. Information on water health should be made accessible to the Canadian public in a way that can be compared from coast to coast to coast.

Informing Evidence-Based PolicyWe want our water laws and policies to be based on scientific evidence; this requires investment in the government’s ability to build a robust knowledge base and connect that knowledge directly to policy and decision makers.

security

ingenuity

ingenuity

wealth

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(choose those that are most relevant to your region): Talking Points

security

Sound ScienceIt is imperative that water policies be based on sound science. Federal agencies need increased capacity to ensure that all policies--and their implementation--are evidence-based.

Facing UncertaintiesThe impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, are being felt in all parts of Canada--from record-setting droughts in British Columbia and Alberta to disastrous floods in Calgary, Toronto and the East Coast. Stronger laws and implementation of sound policy are key ingredients to preparing for the uncertainties of the future, and ensuring governments are taking action and being held accountable for water protection.

We Are WaterWe are what we drink, at least as much as what we eat; strong national drinking water standards are needed to ensure that all Canadians have access to safe, affordable and clean drinking water.

Setting a StandardProtecting our supply of fresh water makes us healthy, wealthy and shows that we are wise. It’s foolish to waste or contaminate something so essential; we need a national standard for freshwater health.

FreedomWater is our escape. It represents freedom. Without strong water laws, we risk losing this freedom. We need national leadership to ensure that our water wealth is protected and valued for our children, their children and far into the future.

ingenuity

security

Joy

vitality

moderniZing & imPlementing lAw And PolicY

Core MessageCanadian laws and policies need to protect and safeguard freshwater health-- including drinking water--for our communities, for our economies, and for all animals and fish. Laws alone will not protect our water. These laws and policies have to be implemented in a robust and consistent fashion.

What’s the problem?• Water across the country is under threat due to

extreme weather, overuse, aging infrastructure, and increased contamination. The federal government needs to collaborate and build consensus with all orders of governments to overcome these challenges and to ensure safe, clean and reliable water for communities, economies and ecosystems.

• Critical and long-ignored questions regarding treaty and aboriginal rights, title and authority over water need to be addressed through nation-to-nation dialogue as a course is charted for reconciliation.

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Building wAter sustAinABle cities & economies

Core MessageCanada’s water infrastructure deficit is risking the safety of our drinking water and the health of our lakes, rivers and streams. This risk-causing deficit needs to be eliminated. Overcoming this challenge will offer economic development opportunities, which abound in the water technology and research sector. The opportunities should be harnessed to make Canada a global leader in clean water technology.

What’s the problem?Coupled with a changing climate and increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, Canadian communities are facing an $88 billion water infrastructure deficit. That means the pipes that bring water to our homes, the sewers that remove our wastewater are old, leaking and, in many places, not adequate to withstand the pressures of changing weather patterns. It’s a challenge that our cities and communities need to overcome--and they need help.

(choose those that are most relevant to your region): Talking Points

security

wealth

Our HomeFresh water is our common home; our communities are built and come together around our waterways. As our communities grow and transform, we need to be sure they are able to sustain the waters they are fundamentally dependent upon.

Fueling EconomyFresh water fuels our economy. So many jobs depend directly or indirectly on it; we cannot have healthy communities and prosperous economies without fresh water. Our wealth--present and future--is intimately tied to safe, reliable fresh water.

SewageIn many cities in Canada, heavy rains can overshelm stormwater infrastructure causing raw, untreated sewage to reach the waterways where drinking water is drawn, where swimming occurs and where we fish. Digging out of this deficit demands a bold plan--a decade of investment in green infrastructure, pipes, pumps and treatment facilities, and in a transformation to innovative solutions for water efficiency and conservation.

Global OpportunitiesThe global market for water technology and services is estimated at $500 billion, offering a tremendous opportunity for the federal government to enhance Canada’s water technology sector by supporting innovative businesses, investors, academic institutes and business accelerators. Canada can be a leader in contributing to solutions for global water challenges.

security

wealth

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(choose those that are most relevant to your region): Talking Points

vitality

suPPorting A collABorAtive wAter communitY

Core MessageFreshwater needs to be elevated as a priority for the federal cabinet, to bring profile and a clear point-person for federal leadership. By establishing a Living Waters Canada Fund to support partnerships, research and investment in efforts to protect and restore the health of Canada’s waters, Canada can show its leadership and commitment to our waters.

What’s the problem?Lack of vision, focus and direction for Canada’s freshwater management. Fragmentation across orders of government is leading to gaps in key areas, including fisheries protection and drinking water safety. A renewed prioritized vision and commitment to fresh water could be the backbone needed for all the elements detailed in the Call to Action for Federal Leadership on Fresh Water.

Community ContributionCommunity, aboriginal, and stewardship groups working on water have a lot to contribute to solving our water challenges. The federal government can support their work by funding consistent approaches to assessing and reporting on freshwater health and supporting local projects to monitor and restore rivers, beaches, streams and shorelines.

Top PriorityNational leadership will mean making water a priority at the highest levels of government. By assigning a clear mandate for water policy to a key minister (e.g. Environment, Natural Resources) in the next cabinet, our next prime minister will send a clear message that water is a priority, and provide the authority and resources needed to build consensus with other orders of government and to coordinate action to ensure all of Canada’s waters are in good health.

wealth

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Writing an Op-edNewspapers – small ones especially – as well as some broadcast media welcome submissions from community members in the form of op-eds. This can be a great way to get out your message; in addition to having more control over the content, the opinion pages tend to be the most-read sections of a paper.

SAMPLE OPINION EDITORIAL (OP-ED)It became clearer than ever during this past summer’s (insert local problem: drought conditions, flood, toxic algae outbreak, drinking water advisory, fish kill, beach closure, etc) that there is nothing more essential to our well being than clean fresh water. It’s a resource that’s more precious than gold, fueling our bodies, our communities, our economies, our ecosystems. Canada, as a whole, is blessed to have a good amount of it. Fresh water is so much a part of who we are as a people that we tend to take its availability for granted until it becomes scarce, polluted or otherwise problematic. As we saw with (insert local or nearby problem), it often takes a crisis to make water a top-of-mind concern. With a rapidly changing climate, increasing threats from invasive species, pollution, and failing infrastructure, water problems are arising with alarming frequency all across Canada--from the drought in the West drying up river beds to the toxic algal outbreaks in Lake Erie and Lake Winnipeg threatening drinking water and access to some of Canada’s most beautiful beaches. And yet, even with environmental issues rising in prominence and in election debates, when you look at what the national party leaders spent their time talking about during this past election, there was more about niqabs and balancing budgets than the hundreds of drinking water advisories in Canadian communities or the impacts of flood and drought on cities and economies. Why is this? Why is something at the essence of Canadian life not a top election issue? Well, I/we think it has a lot to do with a void in leadership at the federal level on water--a void that has been growing since the Government of Canada tabled its last comprehensive water policy almost 3 decades ago. Changing mandates and funding cuts have created a common misperception that stewardship of water is solely the purview of local and provincial governments. But in reality, the federal government has an important, and necessary, role to play in protecting our rivers, lakes and streams--as a leader and as a partner.

The federal government has key responsibilities, both constitutional and practical, pertaining to water, including: transboundary water management, fisheries protection, First Nations water issues, scientific research, water monitoring, infrastructure funding, climate change research and adaptation, and more.

“The Call to Action for Federal Leadership on Fresh Water” details the opportunity to make fresh water a visionary national initiative in Canada. From building capacity for science and implementing a common approach for assessing freshwater health to solving Canada’s infrastructure deficit (a redline that is only bound to get bigger with the impacts of extreme weather events on already aging infrastructure), we can modernize our laws and policies and ensure that our water wealth is protected and valued for future generations. (provide example of what this could mean for a local water body) This is why we/I have joined numerous individuals and more than 50 organizations (you can choose to cite examples) in endorsing a call to action for federal leadership on fresh water, asking the next of government of Canada to make freshwater protection a top national priority and set a target of having all of Canada’s waters in good health by 2025. This call is part of a non-partisan initiative of “Our Living Waters,” a new national collaboration committed to reach this ambitious, and achievable, national target. Given how Canadians are becoming increasingly anxious about threats to freshwater health, with three-quarters indicating that they believe water degradation will become an ever more serious problem in the next 10 years unless we apply our substantial expertise and skills to improving its management. Regardless of political preference or state of economy, water is priority. This is why I/we encourage you to join me/us in endorsing this call to action for leadership.

Play by the rules

Read and stick to the op-ed guidelines for the particular media outlet. If you send a piece that’s too long, it may get edited in ways you don’t want or won’t get considered at all. If there are no guidelines, write between 500-750 words. Unless instructed otherwise, paste the body of the op-ed into the email.

have the final say

The last paragraph of an op-ed is key. It’s located just above your byline, which is one of the first places that readers look at, so don’t squander the opportunity to offer a clear summary of your argument.

Be personable and punchy

Consider using first person – a good way to establish credibility is to play up local connections and experiences. Use active language (avoid passive voice wherever possible) and write mostly short sentences and paragraphs. Avoid jargon.

make it current

Peg your piece to something in the news, ideally something that people are talking about.

Propose a solution

Articulate how the problem can be solved, with specific recommendations and a clear ask of the audience.

Writing an lteA very efficient way to get your opinion and issue into the public discourse is to write a letter to the editor or launch a letter-writing campaign. The opinion pages of newspapers are widely read and politicians and government officials track letters to find out what’s important to community members. Letters to the editor can also influence subsequent media coverage.

know the guidelines

There are usually guidelines on how and where to send a letter to the editor, as well as length. Make sure to provide your contact info, including your address and phone number since the paper will usually contact you before printing the letter.

rein it in

You can convey your passion and conviction without being rude. Take some time to review your words and have others review it before sending it to make sure you have the right tone to get your point across.

localize it

Make it clear why something happening at a provincial level impacts the local community.

Pass it along

After it’s printed, send a copy of your letter to your target as well as share it widely on social media.

tout your credentials

Share why your perspective is important to hear. Not just professional credentials, but also personal and local connections—e.g. you have been fishing in a particular river for decades, recently had your well run dry.

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR (LTE)

Insert local hook (e.g., With the number of beach advisories this summer, Orillia’s Couchiching Beach has dropped to yellow historical status in the Waterkeepers Swim Guide.) When you consider our situation in context with the water quality challenges facing communities across the country, from contamination and toxic algae to drought and extreme flooding, it’s clear that Canada needs to do a better job of protecting our lakes, rivers and streams. And yet, when you look at what the national party leaders spent their time talking about during the fall election, there was a lot more about niqabs and balancing budgets than the hundreds of drinking water advisories in Canadian communities or the impacts of flood and drought on cities and economies. Why is this? Why is something at the essence of Canadian life not a top election issue in the minds of our political leaders? Well, I/we think it has a lot to do with a void in leadership at the federal level on water--a void that has been growing since the Government of Canada tabled its last comprehensive water policy almost 3 decades ago. Changing mandates and funding cuts in recent years have created a common misperception that steward-ship of water is solely the purview of local and provincial governments. But in reality, the federal govern-ment has an important and necessary role to play on freshwater, from transboundary water management and fisheries protection to research and monitoring, infrastructure funding, and climate change research and adaptation.

This is why we/I have joined numerous individuals and more than 50 organizations in endorsing a call to action for federal leadership on fresh water: www.ourlivingwaters.ca, asking the next of government of Canada to make freshwater protection a top national priority.

Our fresh water is a resource that’s more precious than gold, fueling our bodies, our communities, our economies, our ecosystems. Canada, as a whole, is blessed to have a good amount of it, and for ourselves and for future generations, we had better do a better job of protecting our lakes, rivers and streams.

Signed insert your name and local affiliations

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Social MediaSocial media is a great way to get the word out on your local story. It allows you to create content and garner attention by connecting it to your followers enabling them to share, like and take action.

It’s too easy to hit up social media and just post random posts. Social media success can be determined by the thought process you embark on before you hit “post”. Know what message you want to convey and what action you want people to take with your posts!

Plan your strategy

start a dialogue

Social media, at its core, is a mechanism to facilitate online conversations. Do not forget to engage in dialogue on your social media channels. If you get a comment, a retweet or a DM from your posts, be sure to engage in follow-up and deepen the conversation.

Images really do speak a 1,000 words so don’t get cut off with your 140-character limit! Use images that grab scanners’ eyes and pull them in to your content!

Picture perfect

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#Hashtags are a great way to track the pick up of your social media content. Recruiting posters to use or follow a hashtag can help build your following. #Hashtags can also help you connect with new or targeted audiences if you know you want to reach an audience that follows a particular tag. #canh2o#canpoli#ourlivingwaters

lighten up!

Though most of our work is very serious, it can be argued that humourous social media posts are far more likely to go viral than serious ones. Challenge yourself to post at least one humourous (clean appropriate humour only please) post per week!

call 2 action hashtag: #ourlivingwaters call 2 action Short link: ow.ly/t2why

Sample Tweets

All Canadians deserve access to clean fresh water. Join the call for federal leadership on water ow.ly/T2wHY #ourlivingwaters

We need water policies based on sound science. Join the call for federal leadership on #freshwater ow.ly/T2wHY #ourlivingwaters #canh2o #canpoli

Clean fresh water is more precious than gold. We need and deserve federal leadership on #freshwater ow.ly/T2wHY #ourlivingwaters

We need to know if our waters are healthy or not. Join the call for federal leadership on water ow.ly/T2wHY #ourlivingwaters

Sample Facebook

Water is at the essence of Canadian life. Whether we live in Yellowknife, Fredericton, Toronto or Montreal--we all need clean water to live, work and play. But it takes leadership to safeguard water, ensure community access and availability, and protect it for ecosystem uses.

Join the call for federal leadership on freshwater.www.ourlivingwaters.ca

Sample Meme

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October 2015A Communications Tookit for Putting Water on the Federal Agenda.

Design based on an original template by: beyondwego.com