OTTAWA — The Harper government is bulking up its bulk-water removal rules.

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon unveiled new measures Thursday to keep Canada's water within its borders.

The new legislation would toughen existing protections against bulk removal of the country's water.

"Rivers and streams that cross the border will now fall under the same protection that was already in place for waters that straddle the border, like the Great Lakes," Cannon said.

The new rules would also give inspectors new powers and set fines of up to $6 million for corporate violations.

Cannon told reporters he doesn't know of any companies trying to export water to the United States.

"What this piece of legislation does, basically, is it comes and closes any gap that might be there by completing what provinces already do," he said.

Cannon added the new measures would protect waters such as Manitoba's Red River, which flows north from Minnesota and North Dakota and empties into Lake Winnipeg.

The bill has some exceptions. In emergencies near the border, such as bush fires, authorities could still get water from the closest source.

Canada boasts one fifth of the world's freshwater supply -- including the water frozen in glaciers and ice caps -- and seven per cent of Earth's renewable supply.

But as parts of the U.S. dry up, there are fears thirsty Americans will look to Canada for water transfers -- something the Tories say isn't on the table.

Still, opposition parties have criticized the Conservative government for failing to create a national water strategy to deal with key issues like bulk-water exports legislation.