Columbia River Treaty

Canada and the United States are in a process of negotiations to renew the Columbia River Treaty. Global Affairs is working closely with the province, Columbia Basin first nations and local communities. As the treaty is primarily in our riding, I wrote to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, respectfully requesting that I be delegated observer status. It is important to ensure those impacted by the negotiation, hundreds of millions in revenue, be given a voice. A modernized treaty must be favourable to the constituents of Kootenay-Columbia and include cooperative development of water resources, flood risk management, power generation and recreation like Koocanusa. Of equal importance is the reintroduction of the salmon to the Upper Columbia River. At its inception, the treaty displaced over 270,000 acres of our ecosystem, including local farmers, ranchers and indigenous communities. This is an important issue in my riding. I look forward to hearing from the minister at his earliest convenience.

VIDEO: MP Morrison in the House of Commons