Governance and the Great Lakes Guardians' Council: Who are We and What should We be Doing?

Gail Krantzberg

Abstract

Citizens can and should, be involved in environmental decision making. While the manner which this is manifest differs depending on issues and geopolitical landscapes, the active engagement of citizens in collaborative governance is emerging as a standard for policy making. To this end, Ontario's Great Lakes Protection Act of 2015 established, The Great Lakes Guardians’ Council to improve collaboration and coordination among the Great Lakes partners. The Council provides a forum to provide the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change an opportunity to hear feedback from Council on matters relating to the Great Lakes. After several meetings and gatherings of the Council members, two years into its establishment, matters of purpose and governance have not been discussed in any depth. This research interviewed Council members to gain a better understanding of the shared governance perspectives and the need to shift to an action agenda and address the governance uncertainties to better effect change for Great Lakes excellence.