Vision, Mission, Mandate
Vision
The remediation of the Giant Mine site, including the subsurface, is carried out in a manner that is environmentally sound, socially responsible and culturally appropriate.
Mission
The Giant Mine Oversight Board independently monitors, promotes, advises and broadly advocates the responsible management of the remediation of the Giant Mine site. It also manages a research program focused on finding a permanent resolution for the management and disposal of the arsenic trioxide stored underground at the Giant Mine site.
Mandate
The Environmental Agreement requires that the Oversight Board:
- review and make recommendations regarding the annual report from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), the Status of the Environment report and the 20-year Independent Project Review report;
- participate in and provide advice regarding the process followed by the GNWT and INAC for assessing options for the management of Baker Creek;
- manage a research program focused on finding a permanent solution for dealing with arsenic trioxide stored underground at the Giant Mine;
- promote public awareness of itself, the Environmental Agreement and the Board’s roles under the Agreement;
- establish a publicly accessible repository of records that it considers relevant to its responsibilities;
- provide all its reports and evaluations to the Parties to the Environmental Agreement and make them available to the public; and
- issue a report and hold a public meeting annually.
Principles
- Trust – evidence and confidence that the agencies and individuals involved in the remediation process are doing what they committed to do and are ensuring the safety of the people and the land.
- Transparency – governments and decision makers are open and accountable for processes and decision-making.
- Communication and Engagement – meaningful dialogue and the legitimate exchange of knowledge and ideas takes place, rather than a one-way information flow that has historically characterized government-community communications and engagement activities.
- Reconciliation – the decisions and actions of past governments and corporate interests are acknowledged, and an apology is made for the impacts that these decisions and actions have had on the YKDFN and NSMA memberships and the people of the Yellowknife/Great Slave Lake region in general.
- Social License – credibility established between and among theProject core partners that lead to a view that the process is legitimate and results in trust and community support.
- Culture – the role and importance of tradition and culture are understood along with how the different technical and technical approaches to remediation can honour traditions and provide opportunities to rebuild and strengthen social capital.
- Knowledge (Western scientific andIndigenous/ traditional knowledge) –notwithstanding past efforts, that serious effort is made to view the Project from both Western and Indigenous perspectives and accord equal value to each.
- Community – the Giant Mine Remediation Project process is used to strengthen human communities and make them fundamentally better.