Appendix A – ECCC 2014 Scoping Study Results_Mechanisms and governance structures allowing aboriginal traditional knowledge to inform biodiversity conservation and management decision-making Contact person and Is ATK explicitly Are Aboriginal Peoples Are ATK holders Brief description of the mechanism or What role does ATK play in the Name Founding Date General membership website (if mentioned in the terms of directly engaged and directly engaged and governance structure decision-making? available) reference? how? how? National 1. Aboriginal Traditional COSEWIC assess the national status of wild The ATK The ATKSC is The ATKSC developed the Lisa Twolan, Yes Yes, as members of the ATK Ibid Knowledge Canadian species that are suspected of Subcommittee was composed of a minimum COSEWIC Aboriginal Traditional COSEWIC COSEWIC’s operations and Subcommittee. Subcommittee of the being at risk of extinction or extirpation formally established of 10 members who are Knowledge Process and Protocols Secretariat procedures manual In their work thus far, all Committee on the Status The ATKSC is responsible for accessing the in Canada’s Species appointed by the EC Guidelines (adopted in 2010). The (Environment describes the role and ATK reports prepared have of Endangered Wildlife in best available ATK for integration into the at Risk Act (2003) Minister (includes 2 guidelines outline an approach as Canada) functions of the ATK been based on compilation Canada (COSEWIC) COSEWIC assessment process representatives from well as specific steps to facilitating Subcommittee. In addition, of documented and To date, 28 ATK reports have been for use each national aboriginal access to and the gathering of the http://www.cosewic.g COSEWIC’s terms of publically available ATK. by COSEWIC, including for eastern box organization – AFN, available ATK as well as the c.ca/eng/sct4/index_ reference states the Soon the ATKSC will be turtle, lake sturgeon, sockeye and chinook MNC, ITK, CAP & integration of that knowledge into e.cfm following: pursuing ATK from salmon, Atlantic walrus, narwhal, grizzly NWAC) the COSEWIC species status COSEWIC uses the best Aboriginal communities that bear, caribou and wolverine. assessment process. available scientific, may not have their http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/eng/sct0/ Aboriginal and community documents publically PPG_e.cfm knowledge to assess available and also directly species. The assessment with ATK Holders. Narwhal process is independent and may be the first ATK species transparent. report to benefit from the gathering of ATK directly from ATK Holders. 2. NACOSAR NACOSAR advises the Minister of the 2005 NACOSAR consists of NACOSAR seeks to provide sound http://www.nacosar.c Yes, it is mentioned in the Yes, all council members NACOSAR works closely Environment on the administration of the six representatives of the policy advice on legislation and the a/ DRAFT Terms of Reference are Aboriginal People with the COSEWIC ATK Species at Risk Act and provides advice and Aboriginal Peoples of implementation of ATK within the under 2.0 Functions Subcommittee and meets recommendations to the Canadian Canada selected by the Species at Risk Act that leads to with ATK holders when Endangered Species Conservation Council. Minster of the actions and measureable results. undertaking regional The Minister of the Environment is Environment based on One of the guiding principles is: meetings. responsible for establishing the council. recommendations from Respect and application of the Aboriginal organizations knowledge, innovation and that the Minister practices of Aboriginal Peoples considers appropriate. 3. Polar Bear Administrative In Canada, the conservation and 1969 The Polar Bear Rachel Vallender Committee (PBAC) management of polar bears lies with the Administrative (Rachel.Vallender@ Provinces and Territories, the federal Committee (PBAC) is ec.gc.ca) government, and wildlife management comprised of federal boards. Their work is coordinated through the government http://www.polarbear Polar Bear Administrative Committee (PBAC) representatives and canada.ca/ which discusses management and protection representatives from (outdated) measures for the species. Given that some Ontario, Quebec, aspects of polar bear management are also Newfoundland and affected by international agreements (e.g. Labrador, Manitoba, Convention on International Trade in Nunavut, Yukon and the Endangered Species of Wild Fauna or Flora), Northwest Territories. which are signed by the Government of Canada on behalf of all jurisdictions, PBAC was formed in 1969 to serve as a mechanism through which all interests could be considered and represented by consensus. Contact person and Is ATK explicitly Are Aboriginal Peoples Are ATK holders Brief description of the mechanism or What role does ATK play in the Name Founding Date General membership website (if mentioned in the terms of directly engaged and directly engaged and governance structure decision-making? available) reference? how? how? 4. Polar Bear Technical The PBTC serves to facilitate management 1970 composed of biologists Rachel Vallender Committee (PBTC) decisions by reviewing and discussing representative from each (Rachel.Vallender@ research results, and by making of the Provinces and ec.gc.ca) management recommendations to both the Territories that have the Polar Bear Administrative Committee (PBAC) management authority and directly to the constituent jurisdictions. for polar bears The PBTC reviews the status of polar bears (Manitoba, in Canada on an annual basis and therefore Newfoundland and provides accurate and up-to-date Labrador, Northwest assessments of the status and trends of polar Territories, Nunavut, bear management units in Canada. Ontario, Québec, and Yukon); the Canadian Wildlife Service; Parks Canada Agency; and co- management committees or boards that share legal responsibility for polar bears on behalf of aboriginal people, and invited experts from user groups and other research organizations (such as universities) who have expertise with Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) or scientific technical advice. 5. Yukon River Inter-Tribal The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed 1997 The YRITWC Board of Decision-making is informed by ECCC contact: Paula Watershed Council Council is an Indigenous grassroots non- *New info Directors is comprised of ATK with the guidance of the elder Pacholek profit organization, consisting of 73 First the Indigenous Peoples advisors who participate in the *New info Nations and Tribes, dedicated to the gathered at the bi-annual governance process. protection and preservation of the Yukon summit meetings. At *New info River Watershed. The YRITWC provides these summit meetings, Yukon First Nations and Alaska Tribes in the 14 steering committee Yukon Watershed with technical assistance, members are selected (7 such as facilitating the development and from Alaska and 7 from exchange of information, coordinating efforts the Yukon) through a between First Nations and Tribes, process of consensus. undertaking research, and providing training, Executive Committee education and awareness programs to members do not promote the health of the Watershed and its represent any First Indigenous peoples. Nation or Tribal *New info Government; rather, they represent the geographic areas of those governments Contact person and Is ATK explicitly Are Aboriginal Peoples Are ATK holders Brief description of the mechanism or What role does ATK play in the Name Founding Date General membership website (if mentioned in the terms of directly engaged and directly engaged and governance structure decision-making? available) reference? how? how? 6. Commission for The Commission on Environmental 2015 When requested by Council and/or North America Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established under the CEC Joint Public Advisory Division, Cooperation (CEC) the North American Agreement on Committee, the Traditional International Traditional Ecological Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), a Ecological Knowledge Expert Affairs Branch Knowledge Expert Group parallel agreement to the North American Group, individually or as a group, *New Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), to support provides advice to identify cooperation among the NAFTA partners to opportunities and recommending address environmental issues of continental processes to engage Indigenous concern, including biodiversity conservation TEK in CEC’s operations and policy and management. recommendations. The CEC Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group is a nine-member committee made up of three nationals each from Canada, Mexico, and the United States. They provide advice to the CEC’s Council (Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change and her/his United States and Mexican counterparts) on the application of traditional ecological knowledge. Provincial BC 7. Kunst'aa guu – A historic agreement between the Haida 2009 Kunst'aayah Nation and the Province of BC is a new Reconciliation Protocol approach to decision-making on Haida Gwaii, *New and is the first agreement of its kind in Canada. The Protocol stipulates that land- use decisions will be shared between the two governments, recognizing the Haida Nation’s right to ensure that land development on Haida Gwaii reflects Haida values. Between the protocol, the legislation (Haida Gwaii Reconciliation Act) and the duties of the Haida Gwaii Management Committee, there is government-to-government agreement on land use orders, protected area management plans, and heritage site