As fall descended on Ottawa, Ontario, so did a contingent of IJC staff, Commissioners and board members. The IJC held its Fall 2017 Semi-Annual Meeting in late October, a unique opportunity for face-to-face discussions that happens twice a year.
This fall, IJC boards from coast-to-coast presented progress reports to Commissioners for two full days. Commissioners and staff were in meetings all week, from executive discussions about upcoming reports and other issues to lunch with US Deputy Chief of Mission Elizabeth Aubin and informal sessions with Canadian government representatives.
The board appearances featured the first for the Souris River Study Board, appointed in September. There also was a workshop with boards involved with the International Watersheds Initiative, where participants shared the process for making geospatial data consistent in watersheds shared by Canada and the US as well as projects that use the harmonized data. And the Great Lakes Water Quality Board and Ottawa Riverkeeper hosted a sold-out public panel discussion on Tuesday evening at a local restaurant.
The members of IJC boards come from a wide variety of backgrounds and serve as volunteers. The progress reports they present to commissioners are discussed at length during Semi-Annual Meetings, which gives time for questions, further input and charting a path forward.
See below for infographics highlighting just some of the projects and work being undertaken by IJC boards. We also posted updates from the week on our Twitter and Facebook pages (you may have noticed and enjoyed animated infographics for a few of our boards). Stay tuned for follow-up articles. The next Semi-Annual is in the spring in Washington, D.C.