Series GR-3535 - General office files

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General office files

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  • textual record

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  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the series

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Reference code

GR-3535

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  • 1987 - 1994 (Creation)
    Creator
    British Columbia Round Table on the Environment and the Economy

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Physical description

15 m of textual records

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(1990)

Biographical history

The British Columbia Round Table on the Environment and the Economy was appointed by cabinet on January 16, 1990. As an advisory body, it reported to the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Regional and Economic Development, and through them, to cabinet. According to the terms of reference, cabinet established this body with the purpose of providing advice on all matters relating to environment, land use and economic development, and achieving and promoting sustainable development.

Its mandate was: to develop a sustainable development strategy and monitor British Columbia's progress towards sustainability; to recommend a means and alternative methods of resolving land-use and other conflicts between the environment and the economy; to promote the interdependence of the economy and the environment; to heighten the public's knowledge and understanding of sustainability and to undertake public consultation on sustainability issues; to promote the exchange of ideas between the public and the provincial government.

Canada responded to the Brundtland Commission's findings by establishing a national task force; at the same time, in 1988, British Columbia set up its own task force to consult with a broad spectrum of groups and individuals. The result of this process was a final report, in June 1989, entitled "Sustaining the Living Land: The Report of the British Columbia Task Force on Environment and Economy." One of its recommendations was to form a round table of concerned citizens who could begin to address the challenge of identifying a sustainable development strategy for British Columbia.

The B.C. Round Table established in 1990 was an independent advisory group of 31 men and women representing different parts of society, including environmental groups, industry, labour, native groups, academia, and public servants. The round table was organized into core groups, with specific areas of responsibility, including: sustainable development strategy, dispute resolution and public education and understanding.

In the early 1990s the Round Table convened workshops across the province, and published "A Better Way," a series of background papers and theme papers to inform the public and to stimulate discussion on issues of sustainable development. The Round Table held speaking engagements and public forums, including a Provincial Youth Forum, in communities throughout the province. More than a thousand written and oral submissions from the public were received through these initiatives. The concerns were analyzed and compiled as the basis for the preparation of "Towards a Strategy for Sustainability," the report of the Round Table to the provincial government.

The body formed in 1990 is not to be confused with that announced by the BC Minister of the Environment in March 2014.

Custodial history

Scope and content

The series consists of administrative and operational records which document the functions and activities of the British Columbia Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, created by the provincial government in 1990.

These records document the appointment, development, and setting-up of the Round Table and its committees/core groups, policy, procedures, and membership. The records were used to develop and support strategies, provide program research information, support programs of the Round Table, and develop policy recommendations to government.

Record types include correspondence and memoranda, discussion papers and reports (and working papers and drafts of these), meeting agendas, minutes, summaries of Round Table meetings and committee meetings, conference materials, submissions from individuals and groups, student essays, cabinet submissions, Treasury Board submissions, the organization’s newsletter, development files for a public education video program, annual reports, and news releases. Records include briefing notes and speech notes, particularly those of the chairperson the Round Table. Some budget records as well as routine administrative records were retained in the series.

The series consists of records that document the meetings of the Round Table sub-committees and “core groups,” such as the Monitoring Committee, Community Involvement Committee, Public Understanding and Education Core Group, Dispute Resolution Core Group and Local Round Table Task Force. These records provide evidence of the Round Table fulfilling its mandate to heighten the public’s understanding of sustainability, and to develop a sustainable development strategy for the province.

The series also consists of submissions and comments from stakeholders and the public, which were solicited by the Round Table through a series of formal and informal sessions at workshops and public forums held around the province. These include written submissions, summaries of oral presentations, and comments and feedback sheets. These records provide evidence of the systematic and extensive public consultation strategy employed by the Round Table and the organization’s efforts to encourage public input and participation.

These records also have significant historical value as they reflect public and industry sentiments toward the concept of sustainable development in the early 1990s. These opinions later became the basis for the preparation of one of the most important publications by the Round Table: "Towards a Strategy for Sustainability."

The series also consists of the cabinet submission from the British Columbia Task Force on Environment and Economy regarding its recommendation to establish the Round Table, as wells as other records of the Task Force that the Round Table inherited. These records have significant evidential and historical value.

The series also consists of records created by the British Columbia Task Force on Environment and Economy, which were inherited by the Round Table. These include the cabinet submission by the Task Force which included its recommendation to establish the Round Table. These records have significant evidential and historical value.

Where it is clear which office and officers maintained certain files, they have been arranged according to that office of origin. For example, some records are identified as those of the chairperson, the executive director, directors of the core groups, the public information officer, and the financial officer. Other records were grouped by project or topic, for example, the Clayoquot Sound Sustainable Development Task Force.

No Operational Records Classification System (ORCS) was developed for the BC Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. All of the organization’s operational records were classified under related secondaries in the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS, 1993 edition).

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Transferred by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks in 2016

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Restrictions on access

The records are subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other acts, and access may be restricted. Please contact the BC Archives to determine the access status of these records.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Copyright belongs to the Government of British Columbia. Consult BC Archives staff regarding use, reproduction and publication.

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General note

Accession number(s): 92-3445, 92-4132, 92-4335, 92-1203

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