For citizens and NGOs who want to challenge environmental decisions, the biggest obstacle is usually obtaining information about the potential environmental effects of a decision or project. In the 1990s, the Ontario government passed the Environmental Bill of Rights which was supposed to make access to environmental information easier. As a result of this Act, we now have a public registry where potential decisions that may adversely affect the environment are posted for review by the public. Quebec, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories also have similar legislation, and a federal Environmental Bill of Rights was tabled, but not passed in the House of Commons in June 2010.
Crow’s Theatre, in association with Porte Parole (Montreal), presents the Toronto premiere of SEEDS written by Annabel Soutar, directed by Crow’s Theatre Artistic Director Chris Abraham and starring Eric Peterson, from February 18 – March 10 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts.
The Supreme Court of Canada's Chief Justice, Beverly McLachlan, raised many virtual eyebrows on January 31 when she expressed concern about the impacts of social media on Canada's justice system. Her worry is that people using social media as their main information source may be getting an inaccurate impression of the justice system.
Especially timely -- at least to West Coast Environmental Law -- was her question: "How can a medium such as Twitter inform the public accurately or adequately, in 140 characters or less, of the real gist of a complex constitutional decision?"
The Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly (GTWA) has sent the invite out to University Sector Workers to visit Occupy Toronto. Lets make the connection between the struggle for decent jobs and services and the occupy movement. Given that the site is under threat of eviction the second half of the meeting will be a discussion on social movements and the law and how we can defend the occupy movement.