Contact: Dr. Michael J. Donahue E-mail: mdonahue@glc.org

For immediate release August 22, 2000

2000 Annual Meeting of the Great Lakes Commission, Oct. 16

Effective advocacy for the Great Lakes-
St. Lawrence region

Ann Arbor, Mich. - Policymakers and opinion leaders from throughout the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region will convene Oct. 16 in Hamilton, Ontario, to address and act on key public policy issues affecting the environment and economy of the world's largest freshwater system. State and provincial delegates to the Great Lakes Commission will be joined at the event by other government officials and private sector and citizen interests.

Participants will examine new opportunities and ideas for the Great Lakes Commission and its partners to more effectively advocate for Great Lakes-St. Lawrence interests and needs, including legislation and funding. Other meeting topics include a focus on the outcome of U.S. congressional appropriations for FY2001; highlights of Ontario's Great Lakes programs; election of Commission officers; and adoption of numerous policy positions offered by the membership on issues of environmental protection, resource management, transportation and sustainable development. A special session will feature presentations on the role of First Nations/tribal authorities in Great Lakes-St. Lawrence governance.

The annual meeting of the Great Lakes Commission is hosted by the members of the Commission's Ontario Delegation. They include Lorraine Ratnik of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, delegation chair; Douglas Harper of the Ministry of Environment; David de Launay of the Ministry of Natural Resources; and Jim Whitestone of the Ministry of Transportation.

A hospitality room for early arrivals will be hosted by the Great Lakes Commission on the evening of Oct. 15 at the Sheraton Hotel, 116 King Street West in Hamilton (905-529-5515). The business session takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 16 and is followed immediately by the opening reception for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference sponsored by Environment Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. All Commission meeting attendees are invited to that reception. The conference will take place Oct. 17-19.

The Great Lakes Commission is a nonpartisan, binational compact agency created by state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of state legislators, agency officials and governors’ appointees from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a "Declaration of Partnership." The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.