This past week I attended the Red River Basin Commission (RRBC) meeting in Fargo, North Dakota as a Manitoba representative. The RRBC is made up of elected officials and department staff from the various provincial and state agencies within the Red River water basin. The mission of the RRBC is having an integrated approach to issues that impact the watershed and natural resources and to speak with a unified voice on those issues.

While Canada and the United States are separated by a border, the water that we share is not. The importance of working together to manage flooding, water quality and supply is critical. This includes both the sharing of information as well as cooperative strategies on water management.

For example, information was shared at the meetings in Fargo on the spread of zebra mussels which came to light last year in Lake Winnipeg and which an eradication effort proved to be unsuccessful. The sharing of information on this invasive species in an effort to limit their movement to other water bodies and reduce the harm caused where they are present is important.

Likewise, there are renewed efforts to become better coordinated in the forecasting of flood events in the Red River Valley. One of the recent concerns regarding floods in Manitoba is the forecasting accuracy. Officials in Manitoba are now meeting with the National Weather Service in the United States to try to establish a more coordinated forecasting system and to ensure the best available data and predication devices are being used.

For the past several years I have been a provincial representative on the Midwest Canada-U.S. relations committee. Over that time I have had a renewed appreciation not only for how important it is that our two countries work together, but the willingness there is to see these relationships grow. While it is the disputes between our countries that are often highlighted, there are also countless areas where mutual cooperation has benefited both our nations. The Red River Basin Commission is one example of the positive results that can come through dialogue and a willingness to deal cooperatively with the challenges both of our countries face.