From taxation to immigration – Canada’s federal policies need a climate justice lens
Lawyers urge incoming federal government to apply a “climate justice lens” to all statutes
Taking stock of the new federal government's marine promises
West Coast has reviewed the party’s ocean commitments in its election platform and assessed how they measure against the work that needs to be done. We identified a few glaring holes, many important and encouraging commitments, and several high-level statements whose effectiveness will depend on the details.
Canada’s 2021 Election brought a new approach to climate change
The election is over, subject to the counting of mail-in ballots in a handful of close races.* The new Parliament looks very much like the old Parliament, and many people are asking: did this accomplish anything?
You have one vote – make it matter
This election, vote for a healthier, more just and sustainable future.
Climate change was front and centre this summer: let’s focus on ocean protection this fall
No matter where you live, it’s likely that the climate crisis has been top of mind this summer – especially with the August 9 release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. With wildfires ravaging the West Coast and the heat dome that traversed the country last month, to droughts and water shortages across most of Western Canada and the Prairies – it’s clear that we must tackle the twin climate and biodiversity crises from all angles.
5 Ways to Support your Staff on Indigenous Peoples Day and Every Day
**TRIGGER WARNING**
I am a staff lawyer at West Coast and I work with our Access to Justice and RELAW (Revitalizing Indigenous Law for Land, Air and Water) Programs. I am a mother, I am a daughter, and I am the granddaughter of Lottie and Isaac Lindley, who both attended the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Secwépemc Territory. I also work in the building and my office is #215.
A Thin Blue Tarp: Exclusion Zones and Public Access During Civil Disobedience
Old-growth logging in British Columbia is just as controversial today as when the “War of the Woods” hit international headlines in the 1990s. The way the RCMP is continuing to use legally-questionable “exclusion zones” to restrict access in the Fairy Creek area protests is fueling the public’s confusion about these important issues.
Let’s honour the ocean with a BC Coastal Marine Strategy
In 1992, Canada first proposed the idea of a World Oceans Day at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, as a day to encourage protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources. Twenty-nine years later, on World Oceans Day 2021, the message of World Oceans Day is needed now more than ever in British Columbia.
Canada’s climate bill (Bill C-12) needs work – and now’s the time to fix it
In November 2020, the federal government introduced new legislation to help ensure that Canada meets its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (Bill C-12) has been stuck in Parliament for months, but it is now before the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development – a crucial phase for amending and improving the bill.
Protecting the Coast and Ocean: A Guide to Marine Conservation Law in British Columbia
Are you concerned about the health of your local shoreline, and wondering what your government(s) can do to help? Curious about the complex web of laws, policies and regulations governing the BC coast and ocean? Interested in learning how different authorities and jurisdictions can work together?
Originally published in 2020, our Guide to Marine Conservation Law in BC is a comprehensive resource that covers the wide array of legal tools available to Indigenous, federal, provincial and local governments to protect the coast and ocean in BC.