The government of Quebec is proposing to abolish all private property rights to water and to empower regulators to dictate who may use water, how much they may use, and how they may use it. Proponents claim that such measures are necessary to protect the natural resources of the province. But such overzealous regulation offers no guarantee that water will be apportioned wisely. Instead, it promises to politicize every aspect of water use, dissuade industrial investment, and deprive citizens of basic rights.