Episode Details

This is Episode 3 of the Water in Southern Alberta miniseries, the discussion centers on the legal system and water market in Southern Alberta. The podcast features guests Arlene Kwasniak, a law professor, and Davin MacIntosh, a water rights facilitator, who explore the intricacies of water law and transfers. The conversation highlights the historical and current frameworks governing water rights, the challenges of the “first in time, first in right” principle, and the complexities of water transfers. The episode also addresses the need for reforms in water management to ensure sustainability, equity, and adaptation to climate change. Listeners are encouraged to engage with ongoing consultations on water availability and management in Alberta.

Introductions to Arlene Kwasniak and Davin MacIntosh

Jenny:

Welcome to The Gravity Well Podcast. I am your host, Jenny Yeremiy. Here you break down heavy ideas with me to understand their complexities and connections. Our mission is to work through dilemmas together in conversation and process. I acknowledge that I live on the traditional territory of Treaty 7 and Metis districts 5 and 6. The treaties and self-governance agreements established by indigenous peoples were created to honour the laws of the land, maintain balance with nature by giving back and uphold reciprocal relationships. This knowledge and intention are what guide The Gravity Well conversation. I ask for genuine dialogue, real hearts, and openness to different perspectives. This is your invitation to find common ground with me.

This podcast is dedicated to the natural world, our children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and all future generations. The gravity well is on YouTube and streaming wherever you get your podcasts. Join us@thegravitywall.net. Welcome everyone. Very glad to have, of course, Bob Morrison, my co-host in this water series that we’ve been doing. This is our third episode now, but we are in the midst of season two. This is episode 11 for anybody who follows the show. We are talking about the legal system and the water market today. We have two guests with us, Arlene Kwazniak, who’s a Professor Emeritus of Law with the University of Calgary law faculty and Davin MacIntosh, who practiced planning and municipal law for several years before facilitating water transfers. Really excited to dive into these two areas of water for us. Why are we talking about Water in Southern Alberta? This is a series of podcasts that is for the general public, for people involved in water. We want to empower those that are working in water and concerned citizens who wish to take positive action towards water security in the future. We’ve had two conversations so far. We did a history of irrigation with Shannon Stunden Bower and Jordan Christianson, and we’ve done one conversation in the environment, which is what this conversation sits within. And that one was on the impacts of resource extraction with David Mayhood, Jason Unger, and Younes Alila.

Both of those are available on my website, thegravitywell.net, and after these conversations, we’ll move into stewardship. That’s going to be in the next couple of weeks, reducing our impact. And then in the future conversations will happen in the fall. We might be looking to the two of you to return for some clarification questions then if this all goes accordingly. Thank you so much for being here. Let’s just do a quick round of proper introductions if you would. Bob, can we start with you please?

Bob:

My name’s Bob Morrison and I’m a retired planner. Originally we worked in water management and transportation planning. Since retirement, I’ve been involved in municipal issues and my main concern is getting people to understand water and how important it is in their lives. Thanks, Jenny.

Jenny:

Thank you, Bob. Arlene, you’re next, please.

Arlene:

Yeah, I am Arlene, Kwasniak, as you said, professo