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Minutes of NB Coastal Joint Action Group (NBC JAG) November 17, 2006, 9:30am Environment Canada Boardroom, Environmental Science Centre, Moncton
Attendees: 1. Laura Barrett, Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. 2. Roland Cormier, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region (alternate representing: Ernest Ferguson, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region) 3. Francois Emond, Canadian Food Inspection Agency 4. Susan Farquharson, Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. 5. Jocelyne Gauvin, Le Groupe de développement durable du Pays de Cocagne 6. Larry Hildebrand, Environment Canada 7. Paul Jordan, NB Dept. of Environment (alternate representing: Kim Hughes, NB Dept. of Environment) 8. Jeremy Matheson, Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. 9. Monique Anne Morin, NB Dept. of Fisheries 10. Tasha Laroche, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region (alternate representing: Ernest Ferguson, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region) 11. John Legault, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region (alternate representing: Ernest Ferguson, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region) 12. Marc-André Plourde, Les ami(e)s de la Kouchibouguacis 13. Nina van der Pluijm, NB Dept. of Health 14. Steve Wilson, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region
Regrets:
· S. Farquharson (Chair) brought the meeting to order.
· Roundtable introductions were conducted as there were new participants attending as alternates.
· During her introduction S. Farquharson informed the members that she had accepted a position with the provincial government Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture (DAA) and the Department of Fisheries (DOF) to lead the Southwest New Brunswick (SWNB) Marine Resources Planning Initiative (http://bofmrp.ca). In accepting this position she had to give full disclosure to the Deputy Minister regarding activities, which may be viewed as a conflict of interest such as the Chair of the NBC JAG.
· Response: S. Wilson asked if S. Farquharson would stay on as a member of NBC JAG if she stepped down as Chair.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that she would most likely stay as a member.
Committee Request: S. Farquharson to speak with the Deputy Minister to request that she remain Chair for the time being considering the early building stages of the NBC JAG.
· S. Farquharson then gave a brief history of the NBC JAG mentioning the loss of its two great advocates, Garth Bangay the former Regional Director General for Environment Canada’s Atlantic Region and Hermel Vienneau the former Deputy Minister for the Department of Environment and Local Government. S. Farquharson stated that NBC JAG started out similar but different to the Nova Scotia Sustainable Community Initiative (NS SCI); the idea for NBC JAG was to be an advocate for communities while addressing government mandates. S. Farquharson asked if the members wanted the NBC JAG to move forward and continue even after the loss of it’s two advocates.
· Response: Members agreed that the NBC JAG should continue.
· S. Farquharson asked if L. Hildebrand could explain the NS SCI.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated that NS SCI has been running for 7 years and it started with calls from communities voicing concerns about the number of different government programs and how confusing they all were; there was need for efficiency in government programs. So in response to the communities the NS SCI was started. NS SCI brings together over 40 different government agencies that would have never worked together before but in working together have noticed they have common goals. Currently NS SCI has two field teams, one in Annapolis and one in Cape Breton. A third ‘Urban Field Team’ has just been established and will focus its attention on the Halifax Regional Municipality. The goals being accomplished are well beyond the mandate of the government agencies within NS SCI but this is good because the agencies are learning to work together and goals are being accomplished. The website for the NS SCI is, www.nssci.net.
· S. Farquharson mentioned the NS SCI has a top down approach with government having the lead but the NBC JAG has had communities involved since the beginning so it is more of a bottom up approach.
· J. Legault asked how does the NS SCI relate to the Oceans program.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated that the NS SCI incorporates all areas of NS and it is not a coastal organization. L. Hildebrand wondered what the niche for the NBC JAG would be; is NBC JAG a linking factor or is the group out in left field? He stated we need a clear goal, with clear actions.
· Response: J. Legault discussed briefly the Oceans Action Plan and the fact that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) wants to bring the provincial governments on board and possibly the NGOs but they are not sure yet about the NGOs. J. Legault then discussed the Regional Committee on Coastal Management (RCOM). RCOM is a federal/provincial committee aimed at Ministerial or Regional Director General level. This committee was brought together for information sharing purposes. The NBC JAG could compliment RCOM, if the NBC JAG became a working group.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated the NBC JAG should be in the centre so communication and feedback can go both ways. S. Farquharson also stated again the vision of NBC JAG was to assist communities, while addressing government mandates.
· L. Hildebrand asked if anyone needed a visual to help explain the role of NBC JAG.
· Response: Members said yes, they would like a visual.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated that he would provide a diagram of where NBC JAG fits in the whole picture to the members within a week.
Action: L. Hildebrand will provide a diagram depicting NBC JAG’s niche.
· Response: S. Wilson stated he thought NBC JAG would be “one stop shopping” for all the agencies and groups involved.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated she had the same vision. That unlike NS SCI the NBC JAG has had the community groups onboard since the beginning.
· J. Legault asked where NBC JAG gets its funding.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that the New Brunswick Department of Environment’s Environmental Trust Fund (ETF) is funding the formation of the NBC JAG. But the ETF cannot be the only source of funding for the NBC JAG in the future.
· Response: S. Wilson brought up the topic of HADD (Harmful Alteration, Disruption or Destruction) credits. He stated that in the past these credits have been used in the areas the ‘harmful’ work is being done but sometimes there is no need for work in these areas. So he brought up the question within DFO, could some of these credits be used elsewhere? There is some agreement that this could happen. However, DFO is not willing to set this new system up or manage it. He also stated that the funds he is talking about could only be used in his region of DFO.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated the system S. Wilson is proposing sounds similar to the Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) that Environment Canada (EC) has in place. The EDF is trying to become a more flexible program. Ted Jennex is the manager for the EDF in Atlantic Canada.
· Response: S. Wilson stated that DFO was looking at possibly having the HADD credits merged with the EDF or distributed by the EDF.
· Response: T. Laroche stated that the Gulf Region of DFO is trying to possibly do the same thing as S. Wilson suggested for the Maritime Region. This summer a pilot project involving the risk profile of an ecological unit was done in the Richibucto watershed. They looked at, for example, what culverts were blocking fish migration. So if a business is doing damage to fish habitat they can look at a map of risk profiles of the watershed and see where the credits should be spent to best benefit the watershed. Funding would then be given to watershed groups to do the work. However, there needs to be criteria for the fund.
· S. Wilson stated the way that he envisioned the new distribution of HADD credits would be that DFO would not take the money from the company doing the ‘harmful’ work but they would approve the company give the credits to a clearinghouse.
· Response: T. Laroche wondered if possibly the funds could flow through the provincial funding organizations such as ETF and the Wildlife Fund.
· S. Farquharson brought up the 3 priorities that were discussed at the previous meeting, sewage, nutrients, and habitat and resource management.
· Response: T. Laroche stated that sewage would be pushing it for DFO.
· Response: S. Wilson stated that at the last meeting he also had a problem with DFO working on sewage. He also stated that if there were changes in the way HADD credits are distributed there would be significant funding available.
· Response: S. Farquharson suggested the HADD credit merger with the EDF would be something the DFO regions and EC would have to discuss.
· J. Legault wondered what the phrase ‘resource management’ meant.
· Response: S. Farquharson requested that the group not get into this topic at this point in time.
· L. Hildebrand mentioned that the NPA Atlantic Team has similar priorities to the NBC JAG and he wondered if there should be a relationship between the two groups.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that the NPA Atlantic Team was invited and took part in the clinics that were the starting point of the NBC JAG. She also stated that the NPA Atlantic Team might be a good link to bring to the table.
· Response: T. Laroche stated that there are many complaints from the community that there are too many different initiatives (NPA, NBC JAG, etc).
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that NBC JAG could help to bring all the agencies, organizations, and community groups together.
· Response: L. Hildebrand wondered if we could get a list of the NPA Atlantic members.
· Response: P. Jordan said that he would get a list of the members from Marianne Janowicz, who sits on the NPA Atlantic Team on behalf of the Department of Environment.
· Response: T. Laroche wondered who sits on the NPA Atlantic Team for the DFO Gulf Region.
Action: P. Jordan will provide a list of the NPA Atlantic Members before the next NBC JAG meeting.
· S. Farquharson requested the members go over the Terms of Reference and the suggested changes made since the last meeting.
· Response: L. Hildebrand had an issue with the word ‘address’ in the Mandate.
· Response: S. Farquharson brought up some notes that Jane Tims from the Department of Environment had made on the Terms of Reference (J. Tims was the first alternate for K. Hughes but was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict). In the notes J. Tims had mentioned that she also had reservations about using the term ‘address’ in the Mandate but suggested that having a Statement of Purpose could rectify this.
· Response: The Members decided a Statement of Purpose would be beneficial in the Terms of Reference.
· J. Legault asked if ECW would remain as the Secretariat even if S. Farquharson stepped down as Chair.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that decision was up to the committee.
· Response: J. Legault stated the only non-biased groups that could be chair for the NBC JAG were the NGOs. He stated the federal and provincial government agencies at the table have a conflict of interest and could not be chair.
· Response: There seemed to be a consensus among the members that this was correct. M. Plourde and J. Gauvin, the other NGO members at the table seemed to indicate that they would prefer not to be chair at this juncture but that an NGO should be chair and that ECW should remain as chair at this time.
· F. Emond requested a list of the members of NBC JAG and their responsibilities.
Action for Secretariat: Gather a list of the NBC JAG member’s responsibilities to be provided at the next NBC JAG meeting.
· L. Hildebrand asked if the NBC JAG has a website.
· S. Farquharson stated that NBC JAG has a webpage on the ECW website. (www.ecwinc.org/Programs/Coastal/C4.htm)
· J. Gauvin asked if there should be some allowance for language in the NBC JAG and its Terms of Reference.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that ECW has access to translation services. However, cost will be a deciding factor.
· Response: F. Emond stated that he could provide some translation services for NBC JAG.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that she would add bilingualism to the Terms of Reference.
· S. Farquharson asked if the Mandate statement was okay.
· T. Laroche asked if the NPA Atlantic Team is already doing what the NBC JAG wants to do.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated the NPA Atlantic Team is not doing what the NBC JAG wants to do.
· Response: T. Laroche asked if there is an overlap.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated that the NPA Atlantic Team does not really have funds or resources. He also reiterated that P. Jordan had stated that he would get the NPA Atlantic Team info from Marianne Janowicz.
· Response: T. Laroche wondered if the DFO Gulf member of the NBC JAG should sit on the NPA Atlantic Team.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that the NPA Atlantic Team is not necessarily action orientated.
· Response: J. Legault asked if all the NBC JAG and the NPA Atlantic Team members are the same.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that she was not sure but once P. Jordan received that information on NPA Atlantic membership we could check.
· J. Legault also stated that he sees too much government on the NBC JAG member list and that there should be more NGOs.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that all of the government agencies at the table are there because they have a stake in the coastal environment.
· Response: J. Gauvin stated that it is necessary to have all of these government agencies here because that is one of the only ways that NGO members like her are able to communicate with government about coastal issues.
· J. Legault asked if the Southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence Coalition (SGSL) could be messenger to NGOs in the Gulf region.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that the SGSL Coordinator, Nadine Gauvin asked if she would present information on the NBC JAG to the SGSL but she declined the offer because there was nothing to present since the NBC JAG is only in the beginning stages.
· Response: T. Laroche asked if there should be an action item to look into umbrella organizations.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that the umbrella organizations were consulted during the clinics.
· Response: S. Wilson stated that the NBC JAG has already gone through the process of looking into umbrella organizations.
· Response: S. Farquharson mentioned that perhaps J. Legault, H. Collins and J. Gauvin could be the messengers from the NBC JAG to the SGSL and vice versa.
· S. Farquharson brought the group back to the Terms of Reference. She read the mandate and asked for approvals.
· Response: The members agreed the mandate was acceptable.
· J. Legault stated that perhaps having a definition of sustainability to accompany the Mandate would make it less open to interpretation.
· Response: S. Farquharson agreed to get a definition of sustainability from NS SCI.
Action for Secretariat: A definition of sustainability will be gathered from the NS SCI for the next NBC JAG meeting.
· At the end of the discussion the Mandate was stated as: “Provide a committed team of diverse stakeholders (non-government and government) to address issues, which impact the sustainability of coastal communities of New Brunswick.”
· S. Farquharson lead the group through a discussion of the Statement of Purpose.
· At the end of the discussion the Statement of Purpose was confirmed as: “To collect and provide information and data where needed; discuss solutions and actions related to identified priority issues; identify resources (financial and human) to accomplish results outlined by the NBC JAG work plan.”
· S. Farquharson asked if there should be any changes made to the membership list in the Terms of Reference. She asked if the NPA Atlantic Team should be added as a member.
· Response: The members agreed the NPA Atlantic Team should be added.
· S. Farquharson changed the membership list to reflect the division of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture into the Department of Fisheries (DOF) and the Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture (DAA).
· Response: M. Morin stated that she is now with DOF so we will need a member from the DAA.
· S. Farquharson asked if the Committee Guidelines were okay with the group.
· Response: The members agreed to add the following suggestion from J. Tims’ notes: “The Committee will develop an annual Work Plan to articulate objectives and tangible, measurable outcomes.”
· J. Gauvin again mentioned the language issue.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated that perhaps there should be a separate section in the Terms of Reference for languages and communications.
· Response: The members agreed. The following section was added: Language/Communications: o Meetings: English o Minutes/Correspondence: Both official languages (English and French) o Workshops/Clinics: Translation services will be provided
· S. Farquharson moved the discussion onto the ‘NBC JAG Meetings’ section of the Terms of Reference. She stated again that due to her new position with DOF/DAA it had been suggested by the Deputy Minister that she steps down as Chair due to a conflict of interest. She also stated that she would like to remain as the Chair and would consult with the Deputy Minister to see if that would be a problem with him.
· Response: Members suggested that perhaps the election of a co-chair would be a good idea.
· Response: S. Wilson suggested J. Matheson be the co-chair.
· Response: Members agreed J. Matheson should be the co-chair.
· J. Legault went back to the membership topic wondering if the word ‘minimum’ should be added after the number of ENGOs for the Gulf and Fundy Regions to allow for membership to change when necessary.
· Response: S. Farquharson made the following changes to the membership list: o 3 (minimum) ENGOs from the Gulf coast of New Brunswick o 1 (minimum) ENGO from the Fundy coast of New Brunswick
· L. Hildebrand asked is if secretariat services should be accounted for in the NBC JAG Meetings section.
· Response: Members agreed this should be added.
· Response: S. Farquharson added to the NBC JAG Meetings section “Secretariat: To be provided by ECW and supported as required by agencies and organizations at the table. Minutes will be provided within two weeks of each meeting.”
· S. Farquharson asked if the members were all okay with the name “New Brunswick Coastal Joint Action Group (NBC JAG)”.
· Response: Members agreed that “New Brunswick Coastal Joint Action Group (NBC JAG)” would be the name for the group.
Action: Bilingual members are asked to translate “New Brunswick Coastal Joint Action Group” into a suitable French name.
· S. Farquharson displayed the nutrient information that had been provided by the members as per an action item from the last meeting.
· Response: P. Jordan mentioned the geo-referenced database that DENV has been involved with, the NB Aquatic Data Warehouse. He also mentioned the DENV has Sewage Treatment Plant data.
· Response: T. Laroche mentioned that the DFO Gulf Region has a working committee looking at fish plant effluent in Lameque.
· Response: J. Gauvin asked if the nutrient information that the group is interested in is just coastal or also freshwater.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that currently we are only concerned with coastal nutrients.
· Response: P. Jordan mentioned that DNR has info on coastal erosion.
· Response: L. Hildebrand asked if we should check with the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) to see what nutrient monitoring information they have.
Action for Secretariat: Collect information on nutrient monitoring and distribute to the NBC JAG members. (This work will occur as a mapping project in the new fiscal year.)
· J. Legault introduced Roland Cormier, who joined the afternoon session.
· R. Cormier spoke about a Risk Analysis Approach (RAP) pilot project that he is working on in the DFO Gulf Region.
· Response: J. Legault stated the RAP involves an inventory of land use . · Response: S. Farquharson stated that the NBC JAG is just in the beginning stages so we could try RAP. She asked S. Wilson if this approach is being used or could it be used in the DFO Maritime Region.
· Response: S. Wilson stated that it sounds possible that it could be used in his region.
· Response: S. Farquharson asked R. Cormier what stage this pilot project is at and when will the be RAP ready to be transferred to other areas of the province.
· Response: R. Cormier stated that he is just in the beginning stages of using the risk analysis approach in the Richibucto watershed. He stated that he does not want the NBC JAG to stop what we are doing but he wants us to be aware of this approach for the future when he has it ready to be transferred to other areas of the province. He stated that most of the framework for the approach will be done by the end of this fiscal year and the rest should be done by the end of next fiscal year (2008). He stated that the steps for risk analysis are 1) look for hazards, 2) characterization, using factual information not feelings, 3) assess the risk and 4) find the group that can give a solution.
· J. Legault stated clean water and clean product would be the outcomes.
· F. Emond stated that CFIA already uses this method when they do an audit and he could do a presentation for the group at the next meeting.
· Response: R. Cormier stated that he could also do a presentation at the next meeting. He also stated that NBC JAG already seems to be in the risk characterization phase.
· Response: P. Jordan stated that we are already doing this risk analysis in the province with the freshwater water classification.
· Response: J. Gauvin wondered if the freshwater water classification and the work that R. Cormier are doing could be linked.
· Response: S. Farquharson stated that she thought there had been a pilot project done in the St. Croix River and estuary that linked the freshwater and saltwater classifications. She stated that she would try to find that study.
Action for Secretariat: Contact the St. Croix Estuary Project to confirm a project was done linking freshwater and saltwater classifications. If the project was done obtain a copy of the final report.
· J. Gauvin stated that many government agencies cannot or will not share data with the NGOs.
· Response: R. Cormier stated that liability is the reason that some government data and information cannot be shared with NGOs.
· S. Farquharson asked how S. Wilson felt about this risk analysis approach.
· Response: S. Wilson stated that the approach sounds okay but that he would have to talk to the habitat people within his region to see if it would work there. He also stated that he would look into having the HADD credits distributed by the Environmental Damages Fund.
· Response: L. Hildebrand stated that with regards to the Environmental Damages Fund, EC is trying to work with the Justice Department to have more fines go into the fund.
· L. Hildebrand showed a slide that he thought would assist the NBC JAG with their priority decision-making. He provided a copy. See attached
· S. Wilson asked with regards to the nutrient discussion earlier in the meeting if P. Jordan would be able to provide information about aquaculture hatcheries and the nutrient testing that had been done around them.
· Response: P. Jordan stated that he could look into that.
Action: P. Jordan will see if it is possible to provide information regarding nutrient testing around aquaculture hatcheries completed by ENV to the NBC JAG
The date of January 26, 2007 was set for the next meeting understanding that virtual communications will be used in the meantime.
Meeting was adjourned at 3:00pm.
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