Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My name is Niall Cronin. Since September 2022, I have been executive director of the U.S. transboundary affairs division at Global Affairs Canada.
Like my colleagues, I would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg people.
The division where I work provides a broad range of analysis and advice to Global Affairs senior officials and ministers, as well as to other federal departments, on water and other issues affecting Canada's bilateral relations with the United States.
Canada’s relationship with the United States is of primordial importance. As President Biden said in his address to Parliament last March, “No two nations on earth are bound by such close ties of friendship, family, commerce and culture.” The President’s in-person visit and the joint statement that followed confirm that our two nations stand united in this moment, finding solutions to global challenges side by side.
As noted in the March 24 statement from Prime Minister Trudeau and President Biden, the Government of Canada announced a new, historic $420-million commitment to “protect and restore” the Great Lakes, which make up the “world's largest freshwater ecosystem.” In conjunction with U.S. funding announced in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, our combined contributions represent “the largest single investment in the Great Lakes in history”.
Canada-U.S. co-operation in this area is long-standing. Over a century ago, our nations signed the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, which sets out the rights and obligations of both Canada and the United States with respect to the use, protection and management of waters through which the international boundary passes, as well as waters that flow across the boundary.
The Boundary Waters Treaty established the International Joint Commission, or IJC, which is an independent binational organization consisting of six commissioners, with three appointed by each country. Through its boards, the IJC oversees the operation of dams, diversions and bridges that affect the natural level and flow of water across the boundary.
The IJC also assists with the implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The two governments can refer issues to the IJC to study and make recommendations.
My team also provides advice on other Canada-U.S. treaties related to transboundary waters. These include the Columbia River Treaty, the agreement for water supply and flood control in the Souris River basin, and the 1950 Niagara treaty, which established minimum flows over Niagara Falls.
Managing transboundary watersheds is complex and spans multiple jurisdictions. My team and I regularly work with federal and provincial counterparts, indigenous peoples, and officials from the State Department and the U.S. embassy. We collaborate closely with other federal departments and agencies that work directly on fresh water-related issues in Canada. It is through these engagements, binational agreements and our support for the International Joint Commission that we are able to address important transboundary water issues with the United States.
With that, I will be pleased to answer your questions.
Thank you again.