Basic Rights - Kudos to Shawnigan Lake and friends

Yesterday,  well over a thousand people held a peaceful protest on the BC Legislature lawn, asking the Ministry of the Environment to protect their rights to live in a healthy environment -- specifically -- the right to have a healthy watershed and clean drinking water.   Unable to attend in person, I was certainly there in spirit and I feel so grateful to live in the Cowichan, a community that stands up for the rights of human beings on so many levels.....  
 
North Cowichan Municipal Council passed the following resolution at its May 6, 2015 Regular Council meeting:

"THAT WHEREAS people are part of the environment, and a healthy environment is inextricably linked to the community wellbeing;

THEREFORE Be it Resolved that Council endorse the following policy:

1. All people have the right to live in a healthy environment, including the right
   
   to breathe clean air, drink clean water, consume safe food, access nature, know about pollutants and contaminants released into the local environment and participate in decision-making that will affect the environment.
   
   
2. The Municipality has the shared responsibility, within its jurisdiction, to protect the right to live in a healthy environment.
   
   

3. When the Municipality evaluates reasonably foreseeable costs of proposed actions and alternatives, it will consider costs to human health and the environment.

4. The Municipality will periodically review this policy in the context of its Official Community Plan." 

When all the trees have been cut down,
when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted,
when all the air is unsafe to breathe,
only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
~ Cree Prophecy ~


Let Environment Minister Mary Polak and  Premier Christy Clark know you want the right to clean water upheld, not only here in Cowichan, but everywhere in BC.  

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