| Great Lakes Mayors Back Manitoba | 31 May 05 |
 Mayors on both sides of the Canada - US border are now supporting Manitoba's efforts to refer the Devils Lake outlet project in North Dakota to the International Joint Commission for review.In a unanimous vote May 26th at a conference in Quebec City, the mayors of Chicago, Toronto and other big cities along the Great Lakes passed a resolution that urges US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to ensure the diversion doesn't operate until the International Joint Commission (IJC) has completed an assessment. The controversial North Dakota outlet is scheduled to begin flowing polluted water into the Red River within weeks. Worries that losing the Devils Lake battle will set a precedent that could allow the diversion of the Great Lakes are behind increasing political support from other provinces and US states. Concerns that future water disputes in the Great Lakes may not be resolved if Ms. Rice refuses to allow the IJC to do its job are also a motivating factor in decisions by other jurisdictions to get involved in the dispute, which is seeing steadily growing media and political attention. The Great Lakes mayors' announcement comes as Canada and Manitoba await a response from Ms. Rice and while Prime Minister Paul Martin prepares to call President George W. Bush. Canada has been waiting more than 14 months for the Bush White House to respond to its formal diplomatic request to have the North Dakota diversion referred to the IJC. View the May 27, 2005 Winnipeg Free Press article (DOC) View the May 27, 2005 CBC article View past ManitobaWildlands.org news items on Devils Lake: Citizen Action on Proposed Devils Lake Outlet Devils Lake Outlet Hangs in the Balance - April 28, 2005 Canada Must Act to Halt Devils Lake Project - February 17, 2005 Manitoba Loses Devils Lake Court Battle: War Not Over - August 31, 2004 Canada Supports Halt to Devils Lake - May 3, 2004 Manitoba Challenges Devils Lake Project - April 5, 2004 Devils Lake Battle Could Head to Court - November 3, 2003 Source: Winnipeg Free Press |
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