GLIN==> The IJC invites you to its 2009 Great Lakes Biennial Meeting in Windsor, Ontario, on October 7-8, 2009

"Can I drink the water?" "Can I eat the fish?"  "Can I swim at the
beach?" "Can I walk the shoreline without rotting algae?"  "Can I stop
the invasion of aquatic aliens?"  "Can I 'rethink' the Great Lakes?"
"Can I make the Great Lakes a better place?"  

 

Yes, you absolutely can!  The International Joint Commission invites you
to discuss these questions during its 2009 Great Lakes Biennial Meeting
in Windsor, Ontario, at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts, on October
7-8, 2009.   The Biennial Meeting is open to the public and will focus
on the six Great Lakes Priority issues being investigated by the
Commission's advisory bodies:  the nearshore, eutrophication, beach and
recreational water quality, binational rapid-response to aquatic
invasive species, the benefits and risks of Great Lakes fish
consumption, and chemicals of emerging concern.  

To facilitate discussions during the October Biennial Meeting, the
Commission will release ten-page reports on each of the six issues at
the end of August.  The reports and public discussions at the Biennial
Meeting will form the basis of the Commission's advice to the
Governments in its 15th Biennial Report in 2010.  

Please register early on the Biennial Meeting website
(http://meeting.ijc.org <http://meeting.ijc.org> ) to guarantee seating
in the Priority session of your choice and reserve a lunch.   The event
is free of charge except there is a fee for lunch.  

About the Program

The Biennial Meeting will begin Wednesday, October 7, at 9 a.m. with a
plenary in the Chrysler Theatre
<http://www.chryslertheatre.com/main.html> .   Commissioners and
advisory board members will discuss the challenges we face with the six
Priorities.  

Following the plenary, participants will be able to join in one of the
first three Priority sessions.  After background and discussion,
participants will take part in policy visioning and recommendations.
The concurrent sessions will be followed by luncheon with a keynote
speaker, who will be announced soon.  There will be CDN $15 (U.S.
$14.00) charge for the luncheon.  After lunch, participants will be able
to join in one of the second three concurrent Priority sessions.  

Wednesday evening will be a networking reception at the nearby Art
Gallery of Windsor <http://www.artgalleryofwindsor.com/> .  The
complimentary reception will have a "100-Mile/160-Kilometer" theme and
will be limited to registrants.

On Thursday, the meeting will begin again at the Chrysler Theatre with
Commission advisory board members sharing workshop results from the
previous day.  A Town Hall meeting with open microphone will begin at
10:30.  This will be followed by "Vision for the Future" perspectives by
Dr. John Carey, Canadian Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Science Advisory
Board and Mr. Gary Gulezian, U.S. Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Water
Quality Board.  We anticipate adjourning the Biennial Meeting at 1p.m.
on Thursday.

Please visit the Biennial Meeting website (http://meeting.ijc.org
<http://meeting.ijc.org> ) for complete details.  Information about
speakers and events can be found under the "People" and "Schedule" tabs.
Lodging and transportation information, including border crossing, is
provided under "About".  Background information on the purpose of each
of the Commission's six Priorities is under "Reports".  Please check the
website frequently for updated and additional information.

About the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

The original Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement was signed by Prime
Minister Pierre Trudeau and President Richard Nixon in 1972.
Subsequently a new Agreement was signed in 1978 and amended in 1987.
However, the Agreement has not been updated or changed in more than 22
years. During this time, our scientific knowledge and understanding and
technology have grown immensely. New threats to the well being of the
Great Lakes ecosystem are becoming better defined.  In response, on
Saturday, June 13, 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon committed to updating
the Agreement.  Click here <ttp://www.canamglass.org/glwqa/>  for
resource documents and information regarding the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement (http://www.canamglass.org/glwqa/
<http://www.canamglass.org/glwqa/> ). 

 

Contact Us




GREAT LAKES REGIONAL OFFICE

Mr. Chris Seago

Public Affairs Consultant

Phone: Canada 519-257-6733 (U.S. 313-226-2170 ext. 6733)

seagoc at windsor.ijc.org

International Joint Commission

100 Ouellette Ave 8th Floor

Windsor ON N9A 6T3

Fax: 519-257-6740 

 

CANADIAN SECTION

Bernard Beckhoff

Public Affairs Adviser

Phone: 613-947-1420

beckhoffb at ottawa.ijc.or <mailto:beckhoffb at ottawa.ijc.or> g

International Joint Commission 

234 Laurier Avenue West 22nd Floor 

Ottawa ON K1P 6K6

Phone: 613-995-2984

Fax: 613-993-5583

 

UNITED STATES SECTION

Frank Bevacqua

Public Information Advisor

Phone: 202-736-9024

bevacquaf at washington.ijc.org <mailto:bevacquaf at washington.ijc.org> 

International Joint Commission

1250 23rd Street NW Suite 100

Washington DC 20440

Fax: 202-467-0746




 

 

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