Educational Media Reviews Online

This morning while watching the water flow down the drain during my shower, I thought about Maude Barlow. That's not quite as kinky as it sounds, despite the fact that Barlow is a grandmotherly-looking, sixty-four year-old Canadienne. The fact is, Barlow is also a ferociously committed, politically savvy, world-renowned human rights activist and author, often referred to as "the Ralph Nader of Canada." Water on the Table offers a profile of Barlow's wide-ranging crusades and political engagements, including her appointment as Senior Advisor on Water to the 63rd President of the United Nations General Assembly; her work as a lobbyist against the massive development of environmentally catastrophic Alberta oil sands extraction industries; and her various efforts to thwart the "corporatization" of natural resources, such as water.

In general this is a very well-made and engaging documentary, supported by absolutely gorgeous cinematography, skillful editing, and a particularly effective musical score. It is not without its problems, however. There's something that feels slightly perfunctory about the treatment of the subject. I kept wondering (but never learned) how Barlow came to her calling as an activist, what her professional background is. (Perhaps the 79 minute version of the film—which I did not screen—f leshes things out a bit more). The filmmakers also revert occasionally to an expository strategy that has become both old-hat and annoying in socially-engaged documentaries. They briefly interview four Barlow critics, including Terence Corcoran, editor of the Financial Post; Professor Robert Pastor, one of the chief architects of NAFTA; Marcel Boyer, Vice President of the Montreal Economic Institute; and Elizabeth Brubaker, Executive Director of Environmental Probe Research Foundation. The intent is clearly to set these four up as poster children for the privatization and despoliation of critical natural resources, in contrast to saintly Maude.

While Water on the Table would be a valuable addition to larger environmental and natural resource video collections, libraries with smaller collections or limited resources may want to start with one of broader discussions of global water issues currently available on DVD, such as Blue Gold (2009, based on the book of the same title by Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke); Flow: For the Love of Water (2008, available on home video); Tapped (2010, Bullfrog Films); or Thirst (2004, Bullfrog Films).