The telling of true stories is necessary to remember our collective history across the globe. Specifically, this has become clear in recent discussions about the abundant life of Semá:th Lake (also known as Sumas Lake) in the Fraser Valley of BC, which once “reached from Chilliwack into Washington State.”
Lawyers urge incoming federal government to apply a “climate justice lens” to all statutes
In October 2021, the BC government announced its intention to launch a comprehensive review of the province's oil and gas royalty framework and ensure it is modernized, aligned with the government’s climate goals and provides a fair return for British Columbians. This is the first major review in almost 30 years. As part of the Review, the Province issued a Discussion Paper and invited feedback from the public until December 10, 2021.
At a time when the human and financial costs of climate change are in such stark relief, it is hard to believe that our federal government is still talking about expanding oil pipeline infrastructure. But if the climate impacts of enabling oilsands expansion aren’t enough, skyrocketing costs, exacerbated by the floods and wildfires themselves, should cause them to pause.
xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER
West Coast Environmental Law condemns the RCMP’s use of militarized force to remove Wet’suwet’en land and water defenders from their territories earlier this week. We also decry the anti-democratic arrests and silencing of journalists covering the events, whose vital work to document this important story is in the public interest.
Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa — Environmental groups are demanding that Premier Jason Kenney retract statements and issue an apology for communications they say are defamatory and directly contrary to the findings of the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns. In a letter to the premier, groups say these statements were designed to undermine their reputations and credibility and misrepresent the facts to the public, and state they are considering legal action if he does not back down.
Lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law Association welcome commitments for environmental and climate action in today’s federal Speech from the Throne, and say Canadians will be looking to the federal government for tangible steps to deliver on these and other key promises in the coming months.
In late October, the BC government unveiled its long-awaited climate plan, Roadmap to 2030, to tumultuous … criticism. A large majority of the environmental groups commenting on the plan, including ourselves, were less than complimentary.
Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/ VANCOUVER, BC—BC’s new Climate “Roadmap,” unveiled today by the BC government, does not plot a course to achieving BC’s 2025 climate target while delaying plans to decrease oil and gas industry emissions to 2023. The Roadmap includes some good elements, but fails to recognize the urgency of climate change even after a devastating summer of wildfires and heat waves.
Commissioner Allan’s Final Report Proves The Inquiry Was A Pointless, But Dangerous Political Stunt, Say Targeted Groups