It's been 20 years since any revision has been made to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, first signed by Pierre Trudeau and Richard Nixon in 1972. But much has changed since then.

Invasive species; water diversion and depletion; climate change; population growth; new chemical pollutants; and advances in science and technology. These are developments that the agreement does not address even though it is responsible for environmental deterioration of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem. What is required to update the agreement? Who should be involved? What matters should be addressed?

“Protection of the Great Lakes is being put back on the public policy agenda,” says Gail Krantzberg, Director of the recently established Dofasco Centre for Engineering and Public Policy at McMaster. “We need to make sure the right people are involved so that the best decisions are made and implemented. These decisions will affect the delicate biology of the lakes, and the lives of millions of people who rely on the Great Lakes for drinking water, recreation, tourism, agriculture and industry.”

A one-day workshop is being organized on Great Lakes Governance at McMaster this Wednesday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Information Technology Building, Room 139, to address these issues and more.

Featured speakers include:

-David de Launay, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management Division, Ministry of Natural Resources who will speak on Water Diversions and the Annex 2001 Process;

-Dr. John Gannon, Limnologist, International Joint Commission who will speak on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement: Role of Science and Engineering in Future Agreement Programs and Policies;

-Anna Pace, Intergovernmental Relations, City of Toronto and David Ullrich, Executive Director, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative who will speak on Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement: Role of Cities in an Agreement Between Two Nations.

-The workshop is open to interested members of McMaster University and the public. It is free of charge.

More information can be found by visiting http://msep.mcmaster.ca Attendees are asked to register by emailing mepp@mcmaster.ca