University of Calgary Press

About the Book

An essential introduction to, and overview of, the International Joint Commission and Canada-U.S. water relationships.

The International Joint Commission oversees and protects the shared waters of Canada and the United States. Created by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, it is one of the world’s oldest international environmental bodies. A pioneering piece of transborder water governance, the IJC has been integral to the modern Canada-United States relationship.

This is the definitive history of the International Joint Commission. Separating myth from reality and uncovering the historical evolution of the IJC from its inception to its present, this collection features an impressive interdisciplinary group of scholars and practitioners. Examining the many aspects of border waters from east to west The First Century of the International Joint Commission traces the three major periods of the IJC, detailing its early focus on water flow, its middle period of growth and increasing politicization, and its modern emphasis on ecosystems.

Informative, detailed, and fascinating, The First Century of the International Joint Commission is essential reading for academics, contemporary policy makers, governments, and all those interested in sustainability, climate change, pollution, and resiliency along the Canada-US Border.

About the Editors

Murray Clamen is an affiliate professor in the Department of Bioresource Engineering at McGill University. He has over 30 years of combined experience in integrated water resource management with the International Joint Commission and Environment Canada

Daniel Macfarlane is an associate professor in the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at Western Michigan University. He is the author of Negotiating a River, which won the Champlain Society’s Floyd S. Chalmers Award.

With Contributions By:  Jamie Benidickson, Norm Brandson, Murray Clamen, Meredith Denning, Frank Ettawageshick, Timothy Heinmiller, Carolyn Jones, James Kenny, John Kirton, Gail Krantzberg, Daniel Macfarlane, Richard Moy, Don Munton, Emma Norman, Kim Richard Nossal, Jonathan O’Riordan, Alan Olson, Ralph Pentland, Jennifer Read, Owen Temby, Deborah VanNijnatten, Brittaney Warren, David Whorley, and Ted Yucyk

Praise for The First Century of the International Joint Comission

[A] fascinating book on transboundary water governance.

—Frederick H. Turner, Natural Resources & Environment

A welcome scale-shift in our knowledge and understanding of the IJC . . . [a] balanced and broad collection that will be of particular interest to historians of environmental diplomacy and the Canada-US border.

—Matthew Evenden, Environmental History

The First Century is a significant contribution to historical institutionalist literature on an important dimension of Canada–US relations and transnational environmental policies. Its contributors illustrate both the potential and conditions for cross-border cooperation, along with the multiple political and institutional constraints on such activities. As such, it is a rewarding study for academics, practitioners, and those interested in understanding the conditions for effective civic engagement in cross-border relations.

—Geoffrey Hale, American Review of Canadian Studies

Provides excellent analysis and coverage of the first century of the IJC

—Stephen J. Randall, Canadian Historical Review

This book will be the standard introduction to the IJC.

—Kurk Dorsey, professor and chair, Department of History, University of New Hampshire

This is one of the most valuable contributions to the study of Canadian-American relations in several decades.

—Peter Stoett, Dean, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

The First Century of the International Joint Comission in the Media

Great Lakes Flooding: The Warning Sign that Homes Must Be Moved, The Conversation

The Secret Savior of the US and Canada’s Shared Waters, The Great Lakes Echo