Meeting #1: December 5-6, 2023, Virtual Meeting
In Phase 1: Establishing the Convenor of the CLI process, the CLI team met virtually with the Mackenzie River Basin Board (MRBB) Secretariat to identify several key goals for the future of the MRBB. These goals included evaluating, investigating, and advocating for issues concerning the ecological health of the entire basin, educating the public on the basin’s health, and promoting the sharing of reports and knowledge across the various jurisdictions involved in the Basin’s stewardship. During this meeting, the CLI process was proposed to the MRBB to modernize the board’s structure, moving towards a true co-governance model aligned with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Board members unanimously agreed to participate in the CLI process, formalizing the partnership with a signed letter.
Meeting #2: May 6, 2024, Virtual Meeting
During this meeting, the CLI team continued building the groundwork for collaboration, sharing an update on the progress of interviews conducted with members of the Mackenzie River Basin Board (MRBB). These interviews served as a crucial opportunity to brief leaders on the CLI process, gather their insights, and document their reflections, aspirations, and concerns regarding the initiative. The feedback gathered through the interviews provided valuable perspectives that shaped the next steps of the CLI process, ensuring it is directed by MRBB members and aligns with their priorities and expectations.
Meeting #3: Saskatoon, November 20, 2024
The third meeting was the first in-person meeting for the CLI MRB, which was successfully held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. During Phase 2: Building the Foundation for Reconciliation of the CLI process, the CLI team provided an overview of the Collaborative Leadership Initiative process, including reflections on the Stories of Leadership document created based on the individual interviews with Members. Discussions revealed a shared sense of responsibility and passion for the future of the Mackenzie River Basin, highlighting common challenges faced by each jurisdiction, as well as aligning priorities and hope for the future of the Board’s activities, such as basin stewardship, collaboration, funding and capacity. The meeting concluded with a vote to move forward with the CLI process, which includes an on-the-land gathering in June, 2025.
Meeting #4: Yellowknife/Dettah, June 18-19, 2025
The fourth MRBB CLI meeting marked a significant milestone in Phase 1: Building the Foundation for Reconciliation and advancing into Phase 2: Formalizing the Commitment to Working Together. Held on the land in the heart of the Mackenzie River Basin, the gathering deepened relationships between members of the Mackenzie River Basin Board and advanced conversations around water co-governance across the Basin. The agenda included a governance primer on braiding governance systems, as well as a presentation on consensus-based decision-making, which is a key feature of the Northwest Territories’ unique government structure. Members also had the opportunity to participate in on-the-land learning and knowledge sharing with Indigenous knowledge holders of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. The reflections and commitment expressed by members throughout the gathering reaffirmed the MRBB’s collective intention to strengthen collaborative governance across the Mackenzie River Basin.
