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Welcome to Water On The Table, a new documentary by Toronto-based filmmaker Liz Marshall.
I met Liz several years ago when my first book on water, Blue Gold, was published and it set Liz on a journey to chronicle the fight for water justice as well as to tell the story of the need to take better care of Canada’s water heritage. Liz is a passionate artist with a strong commitment to environmental justice. This documentary is a tribute to her tenacity – as funding for projects such as this is harder and harder to come by. I have been honoured to be the subject of her film and to spend a great deal of time with her and her terrific team.
Liz chose to chronicle my life in a very important and interesting year (2008 – 2009) which took me from intense local struggles over water to the floor of the United Nations General Assembly. When we looked back over the year in hindsight, it was clear that Liz had captured three distinct stories, one local, one national and one international.
The local story is the fight to halt construction of a dumpsite on the pristine Alliston Aquifer up in the rolling farmlands of Simcoe County, a story of heroic local resistance by First Nations women and local farmers to save the water of this place. Liz captures what I call “raw democracy in action” and some deeply moving moments in this story.
The national story is the on-going struggle to expose the damage done to the environment and health of local residents of the tar sands of Northern Alberta – “Canada’s Mordor.” The visuals in this story are stunning and an interview with a local First Nations elder is one of the most haunting I have ever seen.
Liz was with me at the United Nations for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights and caught the humour, dignity and courage of Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockman, Nicaraguan freedom fighter, liberation theologian and 63rd President of the UN General Assembly. She shows how the fight for the right to water has moved to the heart of this institution and explains that the way the UN deals with this issue will help define its role in the coming years.
So, welcome to my world as told by a talented and committed Canadian filmmaker. I hope it inspires you to join our fight for water justice here in Canada and around the world. You can find out more about these and other struggles at our website
Warmly
Maude
This entry was posted on Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
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It’s about time the world started listening to Maude Barlow. If we dont, will wish we had in a few years.
just watched “water on the table” awesome doc. and have just read “the blue covenant”as someone who has lived around the great lakes all my life i am extremely alarmed at the toxic soup that now threatens the lakes and in fact my health.your doc. was right on the money i only wish that tvo had the forsight to postpone the”agenda”for one night and give us the viewers and fin. backers of tvo. another segment on maude.i tried to find her direct e-mail and only came up with the council of canadians sight.could you please forward the following message to her,”maude stay as healhty as you can for as long as you can and please keep up your fight,esp.concerning our precious great lakes”i know i am being selfish knowing that people all over the world are dieing do to lack of water.but we need you and yours to keep the pressure on the govn’t to make water a top priority for future generations.you are an incredible inspiration thankyou so much for your sacrifices and best of luck george leverett deveber,london ont.can great doc.thanks.
Dearest Maude,
I say good morning to your picture every day as it sits on my dresser. Do you remember the one you sent me? I am wearing my dangly earrings as usual and you are listening with deep amusment at something I’m saying. It’s such a reminder of our marvellous times together, when every serious discussion, and they were many, was also sprinkeld with hilarity. You enriched my life, as you have done to so many others, lucky enough to be working with you, and your work has awakened the world. Gordon and I are so looking forward to seeing your film. All our love. Dorothy
Dear Maude,
Your determination that water must never be treated as a commodity and must be protected has gained in public understanding and support. We’re looking forward to seeing your film. Best wishes, Dorothy Inglis
Hello Mrs. Barlow , I saw the trailer for “Water On The Table”, and cannot wait to see it ! I strongly support the maxim that water, above all else, must be protected and shared equitably if we are to avoid the utter calamity that many of us see in the near future…If you are open to suggestions on how we can create a solution at the U.N. level, I have an idea that may work… I look forward to your reply… With utmost sincerity, Tracy
Dear Maude,
I went to the premiere of Water On The Table last night and I want to tell you (and Liz as well) that I took away a lot of information and a ton of inspiration.
I am proud to be a member of the Council for Canadians – and I want to thank you for your years of efforts and dedication in trying to make Canada and the world a better place.
All the best for the upcoming UN deliberations – hoping for what is seemingly impossible but absolutely necessary.
Maryse Lepage