The International Joint Commission has identified enhancing the role of Indigenous Peoples in collaborative governance as a strategic priority over the next few years. To that end, IJC Commissioners met for the first time on October 23 with an Indigenous Circle of Experts.
These experts live and work across the transboundary region shared between Canada, the United States and many Indigenous Nations.
The meeting was held at the IJC’s Ottawa office on unceded Anishinaabe-Algonquin territory. The IJC recognizes that the Anishinaabe-Algonquin Nation continues its traditional role of stewarding the Ottawa River watershed and surrounding lands.
Ultimately, the IJC intends to make Indigenous collaboration a business-as-usual approach to all of its work in transboundary watersheds. To achieve this goal, the IJC invited Indigenous experts with a range of backgrounds from across the transboundary region to form a Circle of Experts to discuss ways of working with Indigenous Peoples centered around reciprocity and mutual benefit. The October meeting in Ottawa was the first face-to-face meeting and inauguration of the Circle of Experts.
“I am glad to see the Commission moving forward with creating a group of this kind,” said Canadian Commissioner Sue Chiblow of Garden River First Nation. “The Commission can learn so much from these experts who have the experience, and who have spent their careers, in some cases, raising the importance of including Indigenous science, worldviews and laws into decision-making around water governance.”
United States Commissioner Robert Gioia added: “This was a great first meeting between Commissioners and the Circle of Experts. It was important for us to play more of a listening role during this meeting to learn from the experts about how the IJC can build lasting, meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships with Indigenous Peoples in transboundary watersheds.”
The intent of this first meeting was to share a meal, get to know each another and begin a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship. Some of the topics discussed include the IJC’s desire to collaboratively develop a policy framework for weaving Indigenous science into various IJC work. Circle members also indicated the importance of understanding and making room for spirituality and ceremony around water.
The IJC looks forward to the ongoing expertise, views and guidance that the Circle will bring to the Commission as the IJC continues to evolve its collaborative transboundary water management approach with all the people and nations that share our transboundary waters.
