October 1, 2024

This summer, I had the invaluable opportunity to work as a Summer Legal Intern with East Coast Environmental Law (ECEL), funded by the Schulich Academic Excellence Internship Award. With a strong passion for environmental and human rights law, I entered law school eager to develop practical skills for navigating the legal system, implementing policy goals, and advocating for individuals whose rights may be threatened. My commitment to community advocacy and environmental justice aligns closely with ECEL’s mission, making this internship a perfect fit for both my personal and professional aspirations.

During the summer, I collaborated with staff lawyer Tina Northrup to build upon the work of the Nova Scotia Environmental Rights Working Group (NSERWG), coordinated by ECEL, which released a draft Environmental Bill of Rights for Nova Scotia in 2017. The draft bill was written with the goal of guaranteeing the fundamental environmental rights necessary for the health, wellbeing, and equity of all Nova Scotians. Within the following year, the provincial NDP brought forward a private member’s bill proposing an Environmental Bill of Rights, which ultimately did not become law.

The need to guarantee environmental rights has only grown since 2017, and ECEL is eager to revitalize this initiative. With challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and rising air and water pollution becoming increasingly prevalent, it is crucial for Nova Scotians to have the means to seek recourse for these pressing issues. Currently, there is no automatic right to a clean and healthy environment in Nova Scotia, making it vital to enshrine these rights in law.

In preparation for a new environmental rights campaign by ECEL, my work this summer focused on developing outreach and advocacy materials for community members to support a new draft bill, looking to win legal rights to a healthy environment here in Nova Scotia.

One of my initial tasks was to conduct research on the five provinces and territories across Canada where environmental rights exist in law. Ontario, Quebec, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut all have legislated environmental rights, establishing legal mechanisms that empower citizens to hold their governments accountable. Through this task, I honed my legislative analytical skills by closely examining provincial legislation. After reviewing each statute, I worked with Tina to identify the types of procedural environmental rights that should be available to Nova Scotians.

Next, I focused on one specific procedural right outlined in these pieces of legislation, ‘public interest standing’, and researched how it exists already in Nova Scotia, particularly in relation to environmental issues. By tracing the trajectory of public interest standing decisions over the past five years, I improved my legal research and writing skills while gaining a deeper understanding of a concept that was new to me.

Finally, this background research led me to work on building a resource and advocacy toolkit for community members or other environmental advocacy groups that may be interested in this campaign. Synthesizing the legal research and writing projects from earlier in the summer, compiled information for community members curious about advocating for environmental rights in the province. This toolkit offers quick definitions of legal terms, guidance on how to speak with MLAs, and tips for engaging with a draft bill, which can be used by individuals and groups throughout the province.

My time with ECEL was both rewarding and insightful. Learning from the dedicated staff at ECEL reminded me why I came to law school: to develop the skills necessary for driving the positive change I want to see in the world. The work being done by ECEL aligns perfectly with that goal, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to engage in this meaningful work over the summer. I look forward to continuing to follow this initiative, engaging with ECEL, and advocating for environmental rights in Nova Scotia.

Maryjane Sexton

JD Student, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University

Maryjane’s work with us was funded through internship funding granted by the Schulich School of Law, for which we are very grateful.