CRT Library
The Canada-United States Controversy Over the Columbia River
This lengthy article discusses the background to the CRT and includes a section about the Columbia Basin, including sections on the river, climate in the basin, irrigation, commercial fishery, flood control among others. It also discusses some of the contemporaneous proposals of the time for major river projects elsewhere in British Columbia. Comprehensive explanation of the CRT and other river development projects, as well as background about the Basin, including some environmental conditions, as the situation was understood at the time.
“In a comprehensive study of the recent dispute between Canada and the United States over the Columbia River, Professor Johnson traces its history through the birth of the Harmon doctrine in 1898, the signing of the Boundary Waters Treaty in 1909, and the first Canadian claim to downstream benefits in the early 1950s. Against this background, he analyzes the negotiations and events–particularly the Canadian proposals to divert the Columbia into the Fraser, and to develop the Peace River instead of the Columbia–that culminated in the Columbia River Treaty in 1961. Before Canadian ratification of the Treaty, however, additional problems presented by the split between the Provincial and National governments had to be resolved. Their resolution brought about the signing of a Protocol with the United States in 1964, as well as ratification of the Treaty. Finally, Professor Johnson comments on the benefits accruing to each nation from the Treaty and its potential impact on future Canadian-United States relations.” (Taken from abstract)
Note: the item is not currently available in the CRTDL. For online availability, check: http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/washlr41&div=41&id=&page=
Author: Johnson, Ralph W.
Date: 1966
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