Three faculty members from The University of Winnipeg have been appointed to the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission (CEC).
Dr. Nora Casson, Dr. Alan Diduck, and Prof. Danika Littlechild are among 13 new appointees announced in February by the Hon. Mike Moyes, Manitoba's Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
From left: UWinnipeg faculty members Dr. Nora Casson, Dr. Alan Diduck, and Prof. Danika Littlechild have been appointed to the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission.
Established under Manitoba's Environment Act, the CEC is an arm's length entity that offers independent advice and expert recommendations to the minister on environmental policy and licensing issues. The CEC's work includes conducting reviews, organizing public hearings, and preparing reports.
Multi-faceted expertise
All three faculty members said they are eager to serve Manitobans in a new capacity that aligns with their academic work.
Dr. Diduck, Adjunct Faculty and Retired Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences, has served as an expert witness on adaptive management at previous CEC hearings for Manitoba Hydro's Keeyask Generating Station and Bipole III Transmission Project. He said he appreciates the opportunity to translate academic insights into policy recommendations.
"I am passionate about the social dimensions of sustainability, such as public involvement in environmental planning and decision making, inter- and intra-generational equity, and various other aspects of environmental justice," said Dr. Diduck, who is also a member of UWinnipeg's Centre for Forest Interdisciplinary Research and the Environment and Society Research Group. "I am a pragmatist and I have a firm belief that evidence-based policies and decision making are needed in pursuit of social goals such as sustainability."
Dr. Casson, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Influences on Water Quality in UWinnipeg's Department of Geography, and Co-Director of the Prairie Climate Centre, researches how human activities affect the quantity and quality of water in streams, lakes, and wetlands.
"I feel strongly that I have a responsibility to apply my expertise outside of the university in ways that help the environment," Dr. Casson said. "I'm excited about the opportunity to contribute to evidence-based decision making around environmental issues in our province, and to learn from the others involved in the CEC who have a wide range of experiences and expertise."
Professor Littlechild, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences (ESS), specializes in environment, water, biodiversity, and conservation as well as Indigenous systems, laws, protocols and practices. A lawyer before entering academia, Prof. Littlechild also holds a UNESCO Research Chair in Biodiversity, Conservation and Indigenous Health and Well-Being. Her teaching and research focus on environmental issues pertaining to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
"I am passionate about the environment and how we interact with the environment," Prof. Littlechild said, "including approaches to standard setting that are inclusive and diverse."
She said she is eager to meet Manitobans and immerse herself in the environmental issues important to them.
"As a Cree person from Alberta, I have been taught that living and working in the territories of others requires respect, service and humility," she said. "I am so happy to have an opportunity to implement these teachings through my appointment to the Commission. In this new role, I will be able to give back to the province that has welcomed me."
Looking ahead
All three faculty are keen to get started.
"What interests me most about this role is having the opportunity to contribute to and help advance environmental decision making in the province," Dr. Diduck said. "A central part of my research program has focused on how to improve environmental assessment and community engagement in assessment, so I am looking forward to taking part in public hearings and other commission activities that involve community involvement."
For Dr. Casson, serving on the CEC is another way to ensure academic findings inform management actions and policies to protect ecosystems.
"One thing I've learned throughout my career is that environmental issues can only be meaningfully addressed through interdisciplinary, collaborative processes that engage with people from many different perspectives who are impacted by the issue," she explained. "Working with a body like the CEC is a new experience for me, and I'm looking forward to learning from my colleagues and finding ways to contribute to sound environmental decision making."
Prof. Littlechild noted the relationship between academic research and government policymaking is "symbiotic and dynamic."
"It is possible for governments to ask researchers to push the envelope of innovation and transformation," she said. "It is also possible for research to crack open fields of work that policy has yet to perceive."
For more information on the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission, visit its website.
