Resources

Gulf of Maine Library Collection

Sweetwater Seas: The Legacy of the Great Lakes. Environmental Canada. 24 pp. Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment. 8 pp.

The Great Lakes are Canada's most precious fresh water resource. They are also an international resource, and hence an international responsibility. This was recognized as long ago as 1909, when the Boundary Waters Treaty was signed by Canada and the United States. This treaty set up the International joint Commission (IJC), composed of three members from each nation. Its purpose was to oversee boundary waters, including the Great Lakes, and to deal with serious problems. In order to effectively marshal Canadian forces and co-ordinate efforts on the Great Lakes, the Canada-Ontario Agreement was signed in 1971. Through the agreement, the federal and provincial governments synchronize their work in a variety of areas, such as research and development of pollution control measures, sewage treatment, surveillance and monitoring. This resource is a booklet that was published by the Canada-Ontario Agreement Review Board. The Board, which oversees Agreement activities, is composed of representatives of federal and provincial agencies. It is hoped that the booklet would lead to a greater understanding of the Great Lakes ecosystem and prompt citizens to take an active interest in its present and continuing health.

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