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Re: GBlist: Re: pond to wetlands too many cattails, catch-alls, catcalls, cattle



Hi Charlie,

The attempt at humour was crude, I apologize. It was a knee-jerk
reaction and a throwback to my youth when there was a lot of antipathy
to the USA - back in the days that statistically most Americans thought
Canada was a state somewhere near Alaska. 

I don't understand the subtleties of who gives power to who and under
what circumstances. I do know that the information that water
legislation is created from often represents the life work of people -
but a lot of them live in a lot of different countries.

I also don't own any water. You could say I own my 100' deep well but
unfortunately some cows, some chickens, a whole host of cysts and other
little critters have usurped my rights to the potability of that water -
damn, time to put up some fences.

In other areas I can sympathize with your concerns about government
control. I would prefer a higher code orethics as a controlling
mechanism perhaps some constitutional element that gives precedence to
ecosystem maintenance above human property rights. Humans don't live
very long, relative to the supply of their individual needs and
generally don't own any particular piece of property for that long. 

The means of land manipulation are quite accessible (most of my
neighbours own backhoes - for fun and recreation) and since I have lived
here a number of salmon bearing streams have been diverted into ponds,
contaminated from runoff, etc. Traditional wildlife access and corridors
have been broken. Our local 'wild' river has dropped a foot in depth
every year and our aquifers are contaminated. I could go on and on about
my own localized water conditions but basically I can see nothing in
your prescription for individual rights that would alter these
activities.
We may be walking more softly but we still carry too big a stick.

Take care
John

CeramiChas@aol.com wrote:
> 
> John,
> Yea we all carry guns... and we eat babies too.
> 
> Here we have a government by the people, for the people.  WE give
> power to
> the government.  In Canada...the government gives power to the
> people...quite
> a bit of a differance would you not say.
> 
> The issue here is the Government does not have the power to tell us
> what to
> do on or with our own property.
> 
> Have you ever heard of water rights, I do own the water on my
> land...period.
> 
> The government should own the land it controls....it already owns more
> than
> 70% west of the Mississippi.  If we did not drain the swamps what
> costal city
> would be safe?
> 
> There has to be a balance.  If the government wants to tell me what to
> do
> with my property, they have to purchace it from me...that is the law.
> Just
> as if they were building a highway.
> 
> Get the point.  I am not saying that we should not protect the
> environment, I
> am saying we shoul get real about it.  These laws are unconstitutional
> and
> will be struck down.
> 
> This is just not the way to do it.
> 
> Best,
> Charlie
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