WATER, FORESTS AND GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION

They join me in wishing you the best success in the deliberations of this conference.The department that I represent has a common bond with this group in that its responsibilities extend into the field of renewable resources, through its interest in water.While much of the responsibility of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources is in the field of non-renewable resources, the field of renewable resources, relating mainly to water, is now receiving top priority attention by our department.In discharging our responsibilities in water research and investigations, we need your help and, I hope can, in turn, assist you through our specialized water programs.Your forests are the greatest single consumers of water and can be wasteful in terms of water yield to the drainage system.Good management contributes to water conservation by minimizing evaporation losses and aids greatly in flood control; poor management results in low yields of water, on the one hand, and floods and erosion on the other.Your knowledge of thz terrain in the headwaters and drainage basins, and of forest management, are of tremendous importance to us; close communication is a must.Looking briefly at the economic side, everyone is aware of the tremendous contribution that forestry, forest products, and pulp and paper make to Canada.The record is one of which this Institute can well be proud, and we in turn are pleased that we can make some contribution to you through our growing participation in the vitally important field of water.There has always been substantial rivalry between the "Big Three" resource industries of the Canadian economy, your own forestry and forest products industries, agriculture, and the mineral and metal industries of the country.In fact, at the moment, I am not entirely sure who is winning, and it may depend on how the statistics are compiled and by whom.We are all growing at a tremendous rate and can take great satisfaction in our contributions to the economy of Canada.In selecting subject matter for this morning's address, I was first inclined to confine my remarks to a technical and scientific discussion of forests and water.However, in looking over your excellent program, I felt that a great

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