Weak governance by bi-national institutions, poor coordination among levels of government and lack of financial support from every level of government are major obstacles to improved stewardship of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River ecosystem. The following measures would address these problems
Re-establish Government Leadership
While leadership must come from every level of government, it must come first from the Prime Minister and President
by signing a renewed Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). Such an agreement must include a new
mechanism to register citizens’ complaints, a citizen-initiated review process, and membership in advisory committees
to bi-national institutions. A strong, independent voice for Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River stewardship must be established
through a re-invigorated International Joint Commission (IJC). Finally, as the first peoples of this continent,
the First Nations of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region need to be involved in all aspects of Great Lakes
governance, planning and management, including integration of traditional knowledge and practices into contemporary
strategies.
Coordinate Government Efforts
Bi-national institutions must be provided with the
resources and policies needed to enhance interaction
among stakeholders and governments (e.g.,
Bi-national Executive Committee, Bi-national
Toxics Strategy, State of the Lakes Ecosystem
Conferences), strengthen commitments and improve
public awareness. Specific commitments from the
GLWQA and bi-national programs must be incorporated
into domestic legislation and programmes
(e.g., Canada-Ontario Agreement, St. Lawrence
Action Plan, Canadian Environmental Protection
Act, Fisheries Act, provincial Source Water Protection
legislation, Ontario Water Resources Act, etc).
In the absence of a federal commitment, provinces
must develop strategies for dealing directly with
states to respond to current and emerging threats, as
was done, for example, in the Great Lakes Charter
on water diversions and use.
Increase and Sustain Funding
Detailed estimates of the costs required to carry out
the actions needed to restore and protect the Great
Lakes and St. Lawrence River ecosystem must be
compiled. Two billion dollars annually, split equally
between the federal and Ontario governments, is required
immediately as a baseline to ensure progress
is made to protect and restore the Great Lakes, with
the understanding that this funding will have to be
increased as funded research initiatives elaborate on
costs for specific measures.
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