A needless distraction
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
Dear Paov,This summer, it is impossible to ignore the impacts of the climate emergency as wildfires burn and recent heat waves have been fatal to hundreds of Canadians.
There should be no question now about whether climate change is “real” or the fact that major fossil fuel polluters are causing harm. How many communities need to burn to the ground before the threat of climate change is taken seriously?
But this month, when West Coast staff energy, resources and time would be better spent addressing the pressing climate and biodiversity crises we face, a number of our staff have been forced to respond to the Alberta Inquiry – a sideshow if there ever was one.
In what has been referred to as an example of “Facebook Era McCarthyism”, the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns was launched as a political tactic to silence opposition to irresponsible fossil fuel development and distract Canadians from important issues like climate change. From the outset, it implied that dedicated environmental organizations like West Coast were involved in shady or improper activities.
Let’s be clear: West Coast was targeted because of the effectiveness of our legal work in stopping the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipelines and tankers project; securing a legislated north coast oil tanker ban; upholding the decision of our Indigenous clients to reject the Trans Mountain project; and holding large-scale greenhouse gas polluters liable for the climate harms they have caused, among other things.
But after reviewing the activities and funding of targeted groups like West Coast Environmental Law, we were recently informed by the Commissioner that he had found nothing “that constitutes misconduct on the part of any party that should be viewed as impugnable in any way.”
Commissioner Steve Allan is due to complete his report and submit it later this week. With multiple deadline extensions, a 3.5 million dollar budget and thousands of pages of documents to sift through, the Commissioner appears poised to agree with what we’d been saying all along – we’ve done nothing wrong. If that’s all the Inquiry has amounted to…what was the point?
West Coast Environmental Law is proud of the work we do to develop legal solutions to protect the environment, to uphold Indigenous rights and ensure that communities have a voice in environmental decisions.
But the story is not over: a key point of the Inquiry was to undermine environmental charities by targeting our funding. This makes support from individuals like you that much more critical so that we can continue our work.
We pledge to you that we will continue our work as a legal watchdog, shaping the public discourse and putting the power of law in the hands of communities to transform the legal landscape in ways that are more sustainable, more democratic and more just. We know you expect nothing less of us.
Will you consider making a gift to West Coast Environmental Law Research Foundation to help our lawyers get back to the real work at hand and continue fighting for the environment?
Thank you again for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Jessica Clogg
Executive Director & Senior Counsel
West Coast Environmental Law
PS: To learn more about West Coast’s submission to the Alberta Inquiry, please click here. Donate Today! We recognize that our readers are diverse and have unique experiences. Due to the impacts of systemic racism and colonialism, or a variety of other factors affecting financial well-being, some readers may not be able or inclined to make a monetary gift. If you do not wish to receive future fundraising emails, please unsubscribe from these types of emails here.
We welcome your ongoing support and engagement with West Coast in whatever form you choose.
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West Coast Environmental Law Research Foundation
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