EnviroLaw Blog Extra, May 11th, 2013

Question: What, legally speaking, is the difference between protesting on the steps of the provincial legislature and forming a blockade on a public highway? Which of these constitutes civil disobedience and which is merely a protest?

That’s how I opened my presentation at the Direct Action Workshop held this past week in Moncton and sponsored by the Council of Canadians and the CCNB. It was organized in connection with the grassroots mobilization effort against invasive shale gas extraction in the province.

EnviroLaw Blog Extra, April 22nd, 2013

As it has been since 1970, today marks Earth Day, a celebration of the importance of the Earth's natural ecosystems and the struggle to maintain a healthy planet for all of humanity.

Earth Day began as a national sit-in at American universities and on the steps of legislatures where millions urged the U.S. government to enact strong environmental laws for the protection of air and water. The Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act were soon adopted by the U.S. federal government, an initiative which inspired similar laws around the world, including here in Canada. Provincial governments also did their part. Over the next couple of decades, New Brunswick adopted nearly a dozen laws and regulations touching on a wide range of matters such as pollution and recycling.

Since 1970, the Environment occupies an important place in our societies although its popularity tends to fluctuate and it seems to have waned recently. As we go forward in time, however, the environment will once again become a major issue for citizens around the world. It is inevitable because we have yet to turn the corner on assuring a sustainable balance between human activities and the health of ecosystems.