ManOMin conference shaping up

Border waterways–and what they mean to both the public and the government–will be the focus of a ManOMin watershed conference slated April 28-29 at La Place Rendez-Vous here.
“The main purpose of the conference is two-fold,” said Jennifer Mercer, co-ordinator of the Rainy River First Nations watershed program.
“Instilling understanding of our interactions and connectedness with the land and water, and encouraging co-operation by opening lines of communication across the border,” she noted.
“Although we may live in two different countries, we are connected through land and water,” Mercer stressed.
One guest lined up among the 36 presenters is Oliver Martin of the Canadian Tourism Commission, who will speak on global trends in tourism.
“Tourist operators and associated businesses will be particularly interested in this session,” remarked Mercer, noting it could help them take advantage of changing trends in the global market.
Mercer also is hoping to bring government organizations together “to meet their American or Canadian counterparts,” she said.
A presenter in this vein will be Ken Schmidt of the Essex County Conservation Authority, who will talk about bi-national efforts to manage the Detroit River watershed.
Property owners and members of the public also will get a chance to hear from Environment Canada and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which monitor the health of nearby rivers and lakes.
“This overview of water quality is so people get the chance to ask ‘How safe is our water to drink?’” Mercer said.
Property owners on Lake of the Woods and Namakan might be interested in attending the session entitled “Green slime: why do algal blooms occur in my lake?” she noted.
Three 20-minute presentations will be held simultaneously over the two days of the conference, giving people a choice of topics to learn about.
The name “ManOMin” is an amalgamation of Manitoba, Ontario, and Minnesota, representing the waterways between these areas. “Manoomin” also Ojibway for “wild rice,” a water-grown staple food of the people.
The conference is open to anyone, with Mercer hoping to attract 250 attendees.
For information on registration, which begins today, contact Mercer at 482-2479 or water@first-nation.com