Contact: Darwin Donachuk
Executive Council
Sustainable Development Coordination Units
155 Carlton Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3H8
Tel: (204) 945-8747
Fax: (204) 945-0090
Scope: Province-wide
Project type: Province initiative on a policy level
Manitoba's Province-Wide Approach to Sustainability
Canada has taken a unique, countrywide approach to sustainable development.
The country's efforts began in 1983 when the United Nations World Commission
on Environment and Development, which was established in response to worldwide
environmental and economic problems, issued an international report entitled
"Our Common Future." This report addressed the very character
of society, and urged fundamental changes in the ways governments and public
institutions address the economic, educational, and social aspects of our
world. The U.N. Commission described sustainable development in a definition
that would change the world and provide guidelines into the future, citing
that sustainable development incorporates economic, environmental, social
and political concerns to meet the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
This careful analysis and definition of sustainable development inspired
action throughout the world, and was the impetus for many initiatives on
national levels. In 1986, a visit to Canada by the U.N. Commission caused
the Canadian Council of Resource and Environment Ministers to establish
a National Task Force on Environment and Economy. The task force studied
sustainability throughout Canada, and devised 40 recommendations to encourage
industry and the government to devise means of incorporating both environmental
and economic considerations into decision making. One key element of these
recommendations, furthermore, was to establish "round tables"
in each of the provinces to address national environmental and economic
recommendations and issues on a provincial level, and to design province-wide
plans for sustainable development. The Manitoba Round Table is one of these
initiatives. Established in 1988, its course of action serves as a model
for not only other provinces, but as a method for examining sustainability
in theory and practice.
The Manitoba Round Table reports to the Premier of Manitoba, and is responsible
for putting the recommendations of the National Task Force into action throughout
Manitoba. The Round Table is chaired by the Premier of Manitoba and composed
of members from private sector business; nongovernmental organizations;
environmentalists; representatives of local government, labor, academic,
education, native and community interest groups; and labor and government
ministers. Most of these government ministers are also members of the Sustainable
Development Committee of the Cabinet, and provide a natural link between
the provincial government and the Round Table.
The composition of the Round Table represents a unique opportunity for diverse
interests to unite. Members of the Round Table don't necessarily support
all of the governments policies, yet they do agree that sustainability can
only be achieved via consensus. The Manitoba Round Table was built upon,
and consistently follows consensus-building processes.
Throughout the course of action a procedure was developed to draw the participation
of citizens, government representatives, private industry and businesses,
and non-governmental organizations. This procedure for achieving the strategies
entails: (1) preparation of workbooks by the Manitoba Round Table on Environment
and Economy to present draft policies and proposed actions for the province;
(2) public consultations led by the Round Table including workshops, meetings,
questionnaires, and public hearings; (3) publication and dissemination of
formal "What You Told Us" reports to disseminate the information
shared during the public consultations and compare the old policies with
the revised policies and actions that resulted from public opinion; (4)
preparation of a policy applications document by the Province of Manitoba
to detail the policies; (5) and preparation of action plans by the Province
of Manitoba detailing what role organizations, institutions and individuals
can play in implementing these policies. This procedure strives for wide
participation and dissemination of information and is open to revision on
an as-needed basis.
The "What you Told Us" documents were extremely instrumental in
building consensus. Every comment that was made through public
consultations was recorded and published in the workbook - a process which
solidly established the credibility of the Round Table among the participants.
People frequently wrote or called to express how pleased they were that
their comments had been included in the reports, and the process of including
the old policy, the citizens comments, and the revised policy made the "What
you Told Us..." documents particularly useful for analyzing and checking
that substantive changes had been made in each policy. No individual or
organization has yet contacted the Round Table to complain that they weren't
accurately and fully represented.
In developing a province-wide forum and plan of action, the Round Table
used this participatory process to address a number of issues that related
to sustainable development. It began by addressing the most compelling issue
in the province - water - and proceeded to the issues of soils, minerals,
natural lands and special places, energy, environmental management and protection,
recycling and waste management, communications, forests, market incentives,
demonstration projects, and codes of practice.
Though it is traditionally risky to begin consensus-building around a controversial
topic, such as water, the Round Table found this the most successful starting
point for uniting citizens around the province as it is of vital importance
and concern to everyone. While issues such as soil and minerals had lower
attendance at community forums and workshops, water, and natural lands and
special places issues brought out strong, diverse opinions that shaped the
planning process.
The Manitoba Round Table's "What you Told Us" documents were used
extensively in finalizing the province's strategy for achieving sustainability.
It also developed a core document entitled "Towards a Sustainable Development
Strategy for Manitobans" which provided the overall picture of sustainable
development in the province. This overall strategy involves ten principles
and six guidelines of sustainable development. The principals: (1)integration
of environmental and economic decisions, (2) stewardship, (3) shared responsibility,
(4) prevention, (5) conservation, (6) waste minimization, (7) enhancement,
(8) rehabilitation and reclamation, (9) scientific and technological innovation,
and (10) global responsibility, naturally feed into the guidelines: (A)
efficient use of resources, (B) public participation, (C) understanding
and respect, (D) access to adequate information, (E) integrated decision
making and planning, and (6) substitution.
These overarching principles and guiding methods for achieving sustainability
have been designed to work towards desirable social elements such
as diversity, fair and broad awareness and representation, and integrated
decision making. By recognizing the interdependence of our world and the
linkages between environmental, economic and social forces the province
of Manitoba has, and is, making remarkable progress towards sustainability.
Case Study Source: Sustainability
in Action: Profiles of Community Initiatives Across the United States-
American Forum for Global Education. 1995
Back to Top
URL: http://www.sustainable.org/