Mr. Speaker, today is World Water Day.
In 1993 the United Nations declared March 22 as a special day for water, with the aim of sensitizing people to the declining quality and quantity of the world's water supply.
Water constitutes one of the very basic needs of human beings, yet in many parts of the world, especially in Asia, people do not have access to a clean and safe supply of water. Today over one billion people are without access to clean water and over three billion people are without sanitation facilities.
Though 9% of the world's renewable fresh water is found within Canada, our water supplies are vulnerable to global pollution and climate change.
Unsafe or scarce water results in food shortages and serious health problems, such as diarrhea, skin diseases and hepatitis.
I commend the Government of Canada for its efforts to improve access to safe water in communities across Canada and abroad through CIDA projects and the Canada-wide six year green infrastructure program.