Canadian Geoscience Council : The Canadian Geoscience Council (CGC) was formed in 1972 following a recommendation made by the Science Council of Canada in 1970 for leaders in the earth science community to collaborate at the national level and embrace an advocacy role. The mission of the CGC was to provide an open forum for communications, discussion and debate to ensure the effectiveness and influence of the geoscience in addressing the needs and desires of the people of Canada, especially with regard to the quality of life, economic prosperity, and the maintenance and improvement of the natural environment. Its functions were to 1) advise the Canadian public on geoscience; 2) provide expert advice to federal and provincial governments; 3) promote geoscientific awareness, education and careers; 4) organize Canada's participation in non-governmental global programs; and 5) provide an accountability and reporting centre for projects at the national and international level. In these roles, the CGC acted as a focal point for coordination serving its members and the national and regional interests of Canadians.
Officially formed in Ottawa on February 6, 1972, the CGC's constitution and bylaws were drafted by a steering committee and adopted by its members shortly thereafter. The co-operative group initially comprised seven of Canada's leading national geoscience societies but at its height included twenty professional groups and around 14,000 individual members. Roger Blais acted as the Council's first Chairman and oversaw the CGC in its early years. The CGC also had an elected Board of Directors that included the president and either the past-president or president-elect as well as seven other directors [taken from by-laws - did this change over time?]. Membership was open to any Canadian society or organization committed to the earth sciences; these bodies were required to select a representative and pay an annual free. Additional funding came from the Federal government through the Geological Survey.
Because the CGC head office was determined by the place of residence of the Administrative Director, the Council's regular meetings were held across Canada. One of the last meetings of the CGC has held in Vancouver, 27-28 April 2002, where the direction of the CGC was reviewed [see link to Bulletins on CGC Archives website]. Eventually, the CGC was replaced in 2006 by the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences/Fédération canadienne des sciences de la terre replaced.
