Made-In-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan
 

Youth Advisory Council

 

News Release

March 1, 2023 - Manitoba Government names New Youth Advisory Council on the Environment

November 10, 2022 - Manitoba Government Opens Applications for Youth Advisory Council on Climate

October 20, 2020 - Province Continues to Seek Input on Climate Issues from Youth

January 7, 2020 - Province Selects Youth Advisory Council on Climate

September 27, 2019 - Province Engages Youth On Climate Change



Manitoba has created a Youth Advisory Council (Council) to harness the forward-thinking perspective of young Manitobans on climate change and sustainable development issues.

The Council consists of up to ten members who will serve on the Council for one-year terms.

At this time, we are calling on Manitoba youth from across the province, and from all walks of life, to help inform the implementation of the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan.

Council members will:

  • Be Manitoba residents;
  • Ideally be between 15 and 29 years of age as of January 1, 2023;
  • Be knowledgeable of issues related to the Climate and Green Plan;
  • Demonstrate a proven engagement and interest in environmental issues and/or civil society issues;
  • Engage in respectful, open discussion, and be accepting of differing viewpoints;
  • Not be employed by the Manitoba government;
  • Be willing to serve for a one-year term.

Intake for the 2023 Youth Advisory Council is now closed.



Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply for the Youth Advisory Council?

Manitoba youth that are ideally 15 to 29 years of age as of January 1, 2023 are eligible to apply. Employees of the Manitoba government are not eligible.

What will the Youth Advisory Council do?

The Youth Advisory Council will provide advice and recommendations to the Expert Advisory Council and Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks regarding issues and initiatives to help inform implementation of the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan.

What are the criteria on which applications will be reviewed?

All Manitoba youth can apply to be part of the Youth Advisory Council. The selection questions are included on the application form. The criteria are as follows:

  • Be Manitoba residents;
  • Ideally be between 15 and 29 years of age as of January 1, 2023;
  • Be knowledgeable of issues related to the Climate and Green Plan;
  • Demonstrate a proven engagement and interest in environmental issues and/or civil society issues;
  • Engage in respectful, open discussion, and be accepting of differing viewpoints;
  • Not be employed by the Manitoba government;
  • Be willing to serve for a one-year term.

What is the time commitment?

The Youth Advisory Council is expected to meet approximately 6-8 times per year. The first meeting is anticipated to occur in January 2023. It is anticipated that there will be a combination of virtual and in-person meetings. There may be additional reading and preparation outside of regular meetings.

Who will the Youth Advisory Council report to?

The Youth Advisory Council will report to Expert Advisory Council. The Expert Advisory Council advises the Minister of Environment, Climate and Parks on the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan.

Will the Council have the opportunity to engage with the Minister of Environment, Climate and Parks?

Yes, the Council will have at least one meeting with the Minister of Environment, Climate and Parks.

What benefit would I get from serving on the Youth Advisory Council?

Members of the Council will have a chance to develop and demonstrate leadership skills, experience sitting on a council, meeting and working with other likeminded youth, and contributing to a bright future for Manitoba.

Will members' expenses related to attending Youth Advisory Council meetings be covered?

Yes. Members shall be paid reasonable travelling and other out-of-pocket expenses, not to exceed guidelines set out in the General Manual of Administration, which are incurred in discharging duties in connection with the Council.

How will COVID-19 impact meetings of the Youth Advisory Council?

The Secretariat to the Youth Advisory Council will follow all COVID-19 protocols when organizing Youth Advisory Council meetings.



Current Youth Advisory Council Members

Annie Martel, (Chair)
Annie Martel (she/her) is a Red River Michif woman from St-Pierre, located on Treaty 1 territory. She is currently a Master's student at the University of Winnipeg, completing a Master of Arts in Environmental and Social Change, with a focus on Indigenous Knowledges and climate change adaptation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Allison, where she majored in Environmental Studies and minored in Geography and Indigenous Environmental Science. Annie has been involved in numerous student organizations and societies that are committed to tackling issues of climate change and sustainable development.

Caitlin Stewart, (Vice-chair)
Caitlin Stewart (Swan River) is a third-year university student at Lakehead University working towards her Honours Bachelor of Science in Forest Health and Protection. Caitlin has been a member of the Youth Advisory Council since 2020 making this her third Youth Advisory Council cohort. She has taken part in the 2020 Project Learning Tree, Green Mentorship program and is the Vice President of the Lakehead Natural Resources Student Society. She has also worked as a Research Assistant for The Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis at Lakehead University. Caitlin is also a Team Co-Captain of the Lakehead University Timberwolves Loggersports team.

Bijan Salimi
Bijan Salimi (Morden) is a grade 12 student who is the Student Body President of his school. He has served the last two years as the Co-Chair of the Provincial Student Advisory Council, working with various stakeholders in the department of education. Additionally, he has served as the Youth Council Member for the City of Morden.

Emily Robb
Emily is a Métis citizen who grew up in rural Southwestern Manitoba. She is currently a second-year Agro-ecology student at the University of Manitoba who holds holistic ideologies in agricultural education delivery, improving food system resiliency, and promoting ecological stewardship. Passionate about community engagement, Emily is a volunteer note taker, teaching assistant, University of Manitoba Future Leaders 4-H Club President, and Faculty of Agricultural Students' Organization Vice-Stick External on campus. Outside of her studies, Emily is a Youth Director on the Manitoba 4-H Council Board of Directors, the Manitoban representative and Vice-Chair of 4-H Canada's Youth Advisory Committee, and a seasonal crop pathology research student for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.

Justin Langan
Justin Langan is a 24-year-old Metis, LGBTQ2+ national activist from Swan River, MB. He is studying Political Studies at the University of Manitoba, intending to study human rights law thereafter. He has been recognized as an Indspire Laureate, Terry Fox Humanitarian, Top 25 Environmentalists under 25, and more.

Marissa Magsino
Marissa is a high school student at St. Mary's Academy, where she has been a part of various groups including the SMA Green Team, the SMA Leadership Team and the SMA Senior Debate Team. She has travelled to various national and international competitions within North America to take part in events such as the International BioGENEius Challenge, the Weston Innovation Award Science Competition and many Youth Science Canada STEM Fairs.

Mohamed Crossman-Serb
Mohamed Crossman-Serb (he/him) is a Libyan-Metis born and raised in Winnipeg. He is in the Masters in Development Practice at the University of Winnipeg. Mohamed co-founded Waterways, a non-profit that runs canoe programming for Indigenous youth across the province. He is currently working at the First Nations Waste Minimization team at the Green Action Centre as the community engagement coordinator.

Olivia Kehler
Olivia Kehler (Winnipeg) is a Masters student at the University of Winnipeg, pursuing a Master of Arts in Environmental and Social Change with a thesis project focusing on Indigenous research methods. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies with a minor in Economics, she has particular interest in sustainable development and in degrowth. She has experience with land-based living including small-scale agriculture and canoe tripping.

Ryan Kum
Ryan Kum is working towards a Bachelor's of Science in Biosystems Engineering at the University of Manitoba. He has worked as an arctic and freshwater science researcher, and an environmental engineering consultant. He has also held various positions in the public service each with a climate lens in prairie agricultural research and development, building energy efficiency, alternative energy systems, and natural and municipal infrastructure.

Soomin Han
Driven by her passion for climate, solutions-design, and bringing young people together, Soomin is an advocate for climate justice and equitable decision-making processes. Currently as the Programs Lead at Youth Climate Lab, she supports youth across the world to build capacity and lead climate solutions through climate policy, finance, and skills-development. A recent graduate from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, she has worked with various environmental and justice-centered non-profits, UN Climate Change, Parliament Hill as a GreenPAC Parliamentary Intern, and currently serves on the board of directors at The Starfish Canada. With all aspects of her work rooted in intersectionality, youth engagement, community care, and equity, she was also named Top 25 Environmentalists under 25.

Sydney Van Aert
Sydney Van Aert is a Sustainability Analyst at CanSustain, where she supports clients with sustainability projects. Prior to this, she gained diverse work experience in the environmental field through various summer positions related to agriculture, forestry, and water remediation. She graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2020 with a Bachelor of Environmental Science.