STATEMENT: There will be no environmental justice without racial justice

VANCOUVER – Ecojustice stands with the Black community in the wake of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others in the United States. Ecojustice also recognizes that incidents of anti-Black racism and violence are pervasive here in Canada.

“The fight for environmental justice is inextricably tied to the fight for racial equality. Ecojustice cannot accomplish its vision of a thriving environment, safe climate, and healthy communities without condemning racism and actively working to support Black, Indigenous, and other racialized people,” Ecojustice Executive Director Devon Page said.

“We cannot ignore the fact Canada is built on a history of colonization that continues to this day. As a result, Black communities, Indigenous peoples, and other racialized people are more vulnerable to police brutality, increased levels of violence, incarceration, and environmental racism.

“There is a reason why Indigenous communities in Canada are still, in 2020, far more likely to lack access to safe, clean drinking water or why, in the 1950s, Halifax chose to place a massive open-pit dump in Africville, a community that was home to hundreds of descendants of formerly enslaved people.

“We also acknowledge that, historically, the mainstream environmental movement — including Ecojustice — has lacked a diversity of perspectives. This has hindered our ability to achieve justice for all.

“We can and we must do better. Going forward, Ecojustice is committed to:

• Listening to BIPOC and our allies in the justice movement when they tell us what they need from us,
• Sharing our platforms to speak out against injustice and amplify the voices of those with lived experience,
• Adopting hiring and management practices to encourage greater diversity and inclusion within our organization,
• And continuing, as we have for 30 years, to advocate on behalf of communities who would otherwise be silenced in the fight to build a better earth.”

About
Ecojustice goes to court and uses the power of the law to defend nature, combat climate change, and fight for a healthy environment. Its strategic, innovative public interest lawsuits lead to legal precedents 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.