On August 26th, 2021 West Coast Environmental Law hosted a webinar, Environmental Justice in Action. We considered how communities can leverage the law to address environmental and social harms – by looking to the root causes, equalizing power imbalances, and cooperating to create an equitable and sustainable future.
WCEL staff lawyers Eugene Kung, Anna Johnston, and Rayanna Seymour-Hourie were joined by guest speaker Denise Hampden to share their reflections and approaches to advancing environmental justice through an anti-oppressive lens.
Below are some related resources you may want to check out for more information, stories and lessons from experts on these important topics.
View the full webinar recording here.
Speakers
- Anna Johnston, WCEL staff lawyer
- Rayanna Seymour-Hourie, WCEL staff lawyer & RELAW manager
- Denise Hampden, Regional Education Officer (PSAC) & Member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
- Moderated by Eugene Kung, WCEL staff lawyer
RESOURCES
To Read
Recognizing Rights: Aboriginal Justice in Canada
The purpose of this guide is to provide information on the different Aboriginal rights as they are understood in Canadian common law, and the ways in which Indigenous people can assert these rights within the Canadian colonial court system. Published by RAVEN Trust, with contributions from WCEL staff lawyers Erin Gray and Georgia Lloyd-Smith.
Indigenous Communities and Industrial Camps: Promoting Healthy Communities in Settings of Industrial Change
Report prepared by The Firelight Group with Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli Whut’en.The objectives of this work are to examine the gendered effects of construction of industrial camps on nearby Indigenous communities. Its specific focus is to identify strategies to prevent violence against women and children, and to minimize negative effects of project development on community well-being.
Violence on the Land, Violence on our Bodies: Building an Indigenous Response to Environmental Violence
A community-based research and advocacy project aimed at documenting the experiences of Indigenous women, youth, and community members whose sexual and reproductive health and rights have been affected by gas and oil development, mining, and pesticides – something known as “environmental violence.” This initiative is a collaboration between the Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) and Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA).
Fraser Basin Council’s My Climate Story
Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth from diverse backgrounds across British Columbia submitted their stories, which illustrate the tangible impacts of climate change and the vital role youth play in creating innovative and hopeful solutions.
Shades of Sustainability
Shades of Sustainability is a community project that aims to unpack what it means to engage in environmental action as young Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC). Check out out their digital storytelling series #SharetoSustain and Our Stories, Our Future where BIPOC youth share what sustainability means to them.
To Watch
Moving Toward Environmental Justice - Webinar hosted by West Coast Environmental Law
An August 2020 webinar exploring environmental racism, the role of law and legal institutions, as well as solutions in the growing environmental justice movement. Featuring guest speaker K̓áwáziɫ Marilyn Slett (Chief Councillor, Heiltsuk Tribal Council), Lorene Oikawa (President, National Association of Japanese Canadians and WCEL Board Member), and WCEL team members Rayanna Seymour-Hourie, Sunshine Waisman and Eugene Kung.
There’s Something in the Water - Netflix Documentary
A 2019 Canadian documentary film, directed by Elliot Page and Ian Daniel. An examination of environmental racism, the film explores the disproportionate effect of environmental damage on Black Canadian and First Nations communities in Nova Scotia. The film takes its name from Ingrid Waldron's book on environmental racism, There's Something in the Water.
Environmental Justice in Mi'kmaq & African Nova Scotian Communities - Ingrid Waldron | TEDxMSVUWomen
Dr. Ingrid Waldron focuses on her journey leading the Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities and Community Health Project and the partners she has engaged along the way to address environmental racism in Nova Scotia through multi-disciplinary, intersectoral and intersectional approaches.
The Pass System - Independent Documentary
An award-winning documentary shedding light on Canada’s hidden history of racial segregation. For over 60 years, the Canadian government denied many Indigenous peoples the basic freedom to leave their reserves without a pass. Indigenous Elders, as well as scholars and artists share stories and provide context to the ongoing legacy of this system.
Corn Soup - CBC Short Docs
A chef and a knowledge keeper make traditional corn soup, and pass on the story of why corn soup is so culturally significant to the Six Nations people of Southern Ontario, Canada.
To Listen
The Trauma-Informed Lawyer Podcast hosted by Myrna McCallum
This podcast will serve as your educational resource on trauma-informed lawyering. Through inspiring interviews and thoughtful commentary, Myrna will shine a light on a critical competency you did not get any instruction on in law school. Trauma-informed lawyering is a do-no-further-harm, relational approach to the practice of law which benefits you, your clients, your colleagues and the legal profession generally.
Let’s remove the blindfold from Lady Justice, argues Métis lawyer
CBC Radio episode published on May 5, 2020. Métis lawyer Jean Teillet discusses the image of Lady Justice and how the ideal of justice stands at odds with the reality of many Indigenous people within Canada's legal system today.
Indigenous Brilliance
Podcast and reading/performances series featuring Indigenous women, two-spirit, and Indigiqueer storytellers and artists. In collaboration with Massy Books and Room Magazine.
RAVEN (De)briefs Podcast published by RAVEN Trust
RAVEN DeBriefs are conversations between Indigenous thinkers, legal experts, organizers and community leaders exploring the shifting legal landscape upon which moments of crisis — and opportunity — are built.
How a N.S. court decision will be used to recognize systemic racism when sentencing - CBC The Current (August 26, 2021)
This episode discusses how Impact of Race and Culture Assessments will be used in Nova Scotia courts and later across the country to help recognize systemic racism when sentencing Black offenders.
To Follow
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
CBTU (Ontario) Canada seeks to fulfill the dream of Black trade unionists, both living and deceased, who throughout our labour history in Canada have courageously and unremittingly struggled to build a national movement that brings our collective strength and varied talents to bare in an unending effort to achieve economic, political and social justice for all.
Alderhill Consulting
Alderhill Planning Inc. is an Indigenous-owned-and-operated planning company of leading experts in Indigenous community planning.
Social Media Accounts:
- South Asians for Sustainability
- 4Rs Youth Movement
- Queer Brown Vegan
- Intersectional Environmentalist
- Jaunting Jay
- Sustainable Brown Girl
WCEL Resources
RELAW: Revitalizing Indigenous Law for Land, Air, and Water
Through the RELAW program, West Coast provides co-learning opportunities and legal support to Indigenous nations using their own laws to address environmental and other issues affecting their territories.
Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund (EDRF)
The EDRF provides grants to British Columbians who have organized to protect their communities and their environment – but who need some legal help. Funds from the EDRF allow Indigenous peoples, community groups and individuals to hire lawyers and experts at reduced rates, and work collaboratively with them to resolve disputes in negotiations, mediation, in court or before government tribunals.
Blogs:
- Revitalizing Indigenous Law with the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance | The LFFA-RELAW Team’s experience so far
- Gender-based analysis-plus in impact assessment: What it is, and why it important (Hint: it’s not just about jobs)
- From consultation to recognition and respect: Making space for Indigenous laws in conservation
- How our clients are seeking environmental justice
- Unravelling the colonial thread: a look at the lobster fishery dispute in Mi’kma’ki
Other Resources
Bill C-230: National Strategy to Redress Environmental Racism Act
Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing
YorkU Indigenous Environmental Justice Project
The Indigenous Environmental Justice Project, a 5-year SSHRC-funded initiative based out of York University, aims to develop a distinctive EJ framework that is informed by Indigenous knowledge systems, laws, concepts of justice and the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples.