On Thursday, December 5, 2013, members of the Yinka Dene Alliance, a group of six First Nations in northern BC who have banned the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines from their territories, held an anniversary celebration for the Save the Fraser Declaration in Vancouver.
On December 11, West Coast Environmental Law, along with the Northwest Institute for Bioregional Research (NWI), co-hosted the first of a series of community dialogue sessions on LNG and cumulative impacts management. We held the opening session in Prince Rupert last week and were moved by the depth of knowledge, thoughtfulness and concern that participants brought to the session. The objective of the event was to bring togeth
Poll after poll say that British Columbians favour strong environmental laws – laws that don’t trade our environment off against short-term economic gains. As a result, when governments try to weaken environmental laws in the name of growth, it often backfires, with development proposals losing the social licence that they need, and becoming caught up in public controversy.
On Earth Day (April 22nd) we joined many other environmental organizations in applauding Adrian Dix and the NDP for standing up for our coast, and expressing opposition to the expansion of the KinderMorgan Pipeline. We were pleased to see similar language in the NDP’s platform, released shortly therafter:
[I]n regards to the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion, we do not believe the Port of Vancouver should be converted into a major oil export facility.
The Canadian government likes to excuse its slow action on climate change by suggesting that Canada needs to wait for other countries to act. However, when elected representatives from around the world gathered in London last week to discuss how laws can help fight climate change, they emphasized that the vast majority of countries are already taking action on climate change – and singled out Canada as an environmental laggard.
West Coast Environmental Law applauds two of Vancouver’s elected bodies – Vancouver City Council and the Vancouver Parks Board – for passing resolutions to take a formal position on the proposed Kinder Morgan oil pipeline expansion project, and associated oil tanker traffic.
In March we mused about the potential for climate scientists to sue climate deniers for defamation.
The Gitanyow Huwilp Recognition and Reconciliation Agreement
A law student’s perspective of TWN’s announcement that it has denied approval of Kinder Morgan to proceed through in its territory.
