Objectives:

1. To bring the issues associated with the International Year of Freshwater to the attention of a broad range of Canadians.
2. To integrate freshwater issues into National Office and Branch programming, where feasible.
3. To influence Canadian policy on freshwater issues.
   
   


These objectives will be realized through:

~Making freshwater a focus of a National Committee on Environment and Development.

~Developing freshwater-specific materials for Branches and National Office projects and programmes.

~Initiating a specific national project on the topic of freshwater, e.g. a symposium.

~Maintaining existing and forging new partnerships with other organizations working in this area.

~Maintaining a strong relationship with Environment Canada and other federal government agencies, including NRCan, CIDA and DFAIT.

~Developing press materials and public statements on freshwater.

~Promoting and disseminating key UN documents on the subject.

~Using UNA-Canada's website to promote the focus.

~Adopting office practices and systems which minimize the use of water.

Building Towards UN/60 (2005)

2005 will mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Both the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the UN were times of significant activity for UNA-Canada, and, in 2003, the organization will begin positioning itself to play a central role in events in Canada surrounding UN/60. As part of the focal point of this anniversary, the peace and security role of the UN will be highlighted, along with Canada's role as a Peacekeeping Nation.

Objectives:

To position the Association so that it is the lead organization in Canada for UN/60.

This objective will be realized through:

~Compiling lessons learned during the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the UN.

~Initiating discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations.

~Developing partnerships with other Canadian groups interested in the anniversary.

~Drafting a preliminary proposal and action plan for the year, including a focus on Peace and Security.

~Identifying funding sources for the lead-up to the year and the year itself.

Follow-Up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)

The World Summit on Sustainable Development, which took place in September 2002, leaves many opportunities for concrete follow-up and action in the area of sustainable development. UNA-Canada's follow-up to the Summit will focus on the following objectives:

~To integrate the outcomes of the Summit and other sustainable development issues into all projects, programmes and activities.

~To establish a high-level Canadian Committee on the Environment and Development which can build on the outcomes of the Summit.

~ To continue to promote and educate about the three-pillar approach to sustainable development (encompassing environmental, economic and social issues).

These objectives will be realized through:

~Facilitating a continuation of some form of the Youth Agenda 2002 project.

~Maintaining sustainable office policies and systems and improving on existing ones.

~Using the Association's website to highlight Summit and sustainable development issues.

~Promoting the International Year of Freshwater.