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, it is essential reading for academics, contemporary policy makers, and all those interested in sustainability and resiliency.

Featuring 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

Chapter 2. Construction of a Keystone: How Local Concerns and International Geopolitics Created the First Water Management Mechanisms on the Canada-US Border