The Advisory Council provides advice and views on how we discharge our responsibilities. Their work is made public through Study Reports and Triennial Reports to government. In January 2005, the Council published a statement on how it intends to fulfill its mandate.
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council is an independent and arms-length body comprised of individuals knowledgeable in the management of used nuclear fuel, and in working with people and communities on difficult public policy issues.
Overview
In 2002, the Board of Directors established an Advisory Council as required by the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act (NFWA).
As the NWMO’s work leads to the selection of a suitable site, and as affected Indigenous organizations and the host region are identified, the NFWA requires that representatives from these communities be included in the Advisory Council.
The Advisory Council's role is to:
- Ensure that the views of the public and communities of interest are considered and reflected in a thoughtful, balanced way in the proposed approaches and reports of the NWMO; and
- Assist the NWMO in ensuring that its processes are of good quality, and are open, transparent, thorough and sound.
Resources:
David R. Cameron
Chair
Dr. David R. Cameron, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. His professional career has been divided between public service – in Ottawa and at Queen’s Park, Ontario – and academic life. A longtime student of Canadian federalism and Quebec nationalism, he has turned his attention to constitution-making and government design in conflict and post-conflict situations in Sri Lanka, Iraq, Somalia, the Western Sahara, and Jerusalem. He is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto.
Donald Obonsawin
Vice-Chair
With over forty-five years experience in the non-profit, public and private sectors, Donald Obonsawin is a seasoned Senior Advisor to organisations and an experienced Corporate Director. More recently, he ran his own independent consulting firm, providing policy, management, operational and strategic planning services. He is a former President and CEO of Jonview Canada Inc. Previous to that, he enjoyed a 25-year career in both the provincial and federal public services, including 15 years as Deputy Minister of seven Ontario government ministries. He also held senior positions with the federal departments of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada and Health and Welfare Canada. Mr. Obonsawin is a member of the Abenaki First Nation of Odanak.
Monica Gattinger
Dr. Monica Gattinger is Director of the Institute for Science, Society and Policy, Full Professor at the School of Political Studies and Chair of Positive Energy at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Gattinger is an award-winning researcher and highly sought-after speaker, adviser and media commentator on how to strengthen governance, public policy and regulation in the energy sector. Dr. Gattinger is a Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, a board member of the Clean Resource Innovation Network and serves on Advisory Councils for the Institute on Governance, the National Research Council Canada and the Ontario Energy Board. She holds a PhD in Public Policy from Carleton University.
Additional information
Letters to the Minister of Natural Resources
The Advisory Council makes public the letters it sends to the Minister of Natural Resources. These letters contain an overview of their activities and observations during the previous year.
- 2020 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Seamus O’Regan
- 2019 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Amarjeet Sohi
- 2017-2018 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Amarjeet Sohi
- 2016 Advisory Council Letter to Minister James Gordon Carr
- 2015 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Greg Rickford
- 2014 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Greg Rickford
- 2013 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Joe Oliver
- 2012 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Joe Oliver
- 2011 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Paradis (Triennial Report)
- 2010 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Paradis
- 2009 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Lisa Raitt
- 2008 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Gary Lunn
- 2007 Advisory Council Letter to Minister Lunn
- 2005 Nuclear Waste Management Organization Advisory Council Final Report
Advisory Council: Tracking Matrices
The Advisory Council asks the NWMO to produce a tracking matrix each year. The matrix summarizes the Council’s recommendations and how the NWMO acted on that advice.
We also develop matrices to summarize the status of our responses to Advisory Council recommendations that appear in our Triennial Reports.
The information is made public to ensure transparency.
- 2022 Tracking Matrix
- 2021 Tracking Matrix
- 2020 Tracking Matrix
- 2019 Tracking Matrix
- 2018 Tracking Matrix
- 2017 Tracking Matrix
- 2016 Tracking Matrix
- 2015 Tracking Matrix
- 2014 Tracking Matrix
- 2013 Tracking Matrix
- 2012 Tracking Matrix
- 2011 Tracking Matrix
- 2010 Tracking Matrix
- 2009 Tracking Matrix
- 2008 Tracking Matrix
- 2005 Tracking Matrix
Records of Discussion – 2024
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2023
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2022
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2021
Record 3 AC Sept 2021 FINAL APPROVED FR
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2020
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2019
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
- Advisory Council Record of Discussion: December 4, 2019
- Advisory Council Record of Discussion: September 24, 2019
- Advisory Council Record of Discussion: June 17, 2019
- Advisory Council Record of Discussion: March 25, 2019
Records of Discussion – 2018
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2017
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2016
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2015
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2014
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2013
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2012
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2011
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2010
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2009
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2008
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
- Managing Used Nuclear Fuel in Canada – Challenges Ahead as a Repository Site is Sought
- Record 2008-04: November 14, 2008 Meeting
- Record 2008-03: September 8, 2008 Meeting
- Record 2008-02: May 13, 2008 Meeting
- Record 2008-01b: Reprocessing versus Direct Disposal of Spent CANDU Nuclear Fuel: A Possible Application of Fluoride Volatility
- Record 2008-01: March 6, 2008 Meeting
Records of Discussion – 2007
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2006
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2005
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
- Record 2005-09: December 2, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-08: September 15, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-07: July 20, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-06: June 20, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-05: May 13, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-04: March 14, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-03: February 7, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-02: February 1, 2005 Meeting
- Record 2005-01: January 22, 2005 Meeting
Records of Discussion – 2004
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2003
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
Records of Discussion – 2002
Following each meeting of the Advisory Council, a record of discussion is prepared. At the request of the Council, these records are made public in the spirit of sharing the focus of their discussions.
