I think co-governance, or what DFO sometimes calls “collaborative governance”, needs to be implemented by agreements with clear terms of reference. My fellow witnesses have talked about an indigenous perspective, and in particular with traditional knowledge of indigenous communities. That's very important to integrate, but I think we need to remember that indigenous communities have their own scientific advisers, and they bring that scientific perspective to bear as well. That is a way of countering some of the inherent conflicts of interest in the process where we have an overrepresentation of industry.
Bringing indigenous folks to the table in a meaningful way, particularly in the CSAS process, would not only balance that presentation of the evidence but also help DFO fulfill its constitutional duties to consult and accommodate first nations.