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press release

Federal parties must champion environment during federal election campaign

August 16, 2021

OTTAWA/TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – As they seek a mandate from voters on September 20, federal parties will have to clearly demonstrate how they will tackle the interlocking climate, pollution, and biodiversity crises, says Ecojustice, Canada’s largest environmental law charity.

Tony Maas, Ecojustice’s director of legislative affairs, issued the following statement in response to the start of the federal election period:

“To earn Canadians’ votes in 2021, federal party platforms must detail actionable, enforceable steps to fight the climate crisis, reduce pollution, and better protect the air, land, and water essential to our survival and wellbeing.

“This summer we have witnessed deadly heatwaves, raging wildfires, smoky skies, and the irreversible felling of old-growth forests. Droughts have stricken the Prairies and heat and low water levels in B.C. are putting salmon at risk. Public concern about the environment and corporate and government accountability is at an all-time high.

“This is a critical moment for federal parties to turn their talk into action. Last week’s report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change should further focus the minds of federal candidates on the urgency of addressing interlocking climate, pollution, and biodiversity crises.

“When Canadians head to the polls on September 20, they will cast their vote for the candidates they trust to deliver a safer future for them, their families, and their communities.

“It is now up to parties contesting this federal election to show their work, outline and earn the votes of Canadians.

“Critically, we encourage all parties and all candidates to listen to Indigenous voices and to recognize that reconciliation and decolonization must go hand in hand with tackling environmental crises and the transition to a sustainable future.”

About:

Ecojustice uses the power of the law to defend nature, combat climate change, and fight for a healthy environment. Its strategic, public interest lawsuits and advocacy lead to precedent-setting court decisions and law and policy that deliver lasting solutions to Canada’s most urgent environmental problems. As Canada’s largest environmental law charity, Ecojustice operates offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and Halifax.