An Environmental Rights Interview with Ingrid Waldron

Jun 20

This interview is part of a series conducted by Maryjane Sexton—a law student at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University—who volunteered with East Coast Environmental Law during the 2024-2025 academic year and supported our environmental rights advocacy in Nova Scotia.

June 20, 2025

By Maryjane Sexton

The environmental crisis impacts people across the province and the country, but its effects are felt most strongly by marginalized and racialized communities. Climate change, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity don’t affect everyone equally—many communities of colour suffer more because of environmental racism. The term "environmental racism" was first used in 1982 by Benjamin Chavis, a Black civil rights leader in the United States. He described it as policies and decisions that unfairly expose racialized communities to pollution and environmental hazards, while also limiting their ability to have a say in environmental decisions.

Dr. Ingrid Waldron, an author, professor, and the HOPE Chair in Peace and Health at McMaster University, has dedicated years to studying environmental racism, especially its effects on Black and Indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada. Her book There’s Something in the Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous and Black Communities was the basis for the 2019 documentary of the same name.

After a bit of light-hearted banter about the cold East Coast winter weather—which I, as someone from the milder climate of British Columbia, can’t help but complain about—Dr. Waldron and I had a frank and eye-opening conversation over Zoom about environmental racism, environmental rights, and the lack of environmental justice in Atlantic Canada. As an expert, she offered valuable insights, emphasizing that environmental justice should be seen as the "tools, resources, and activities [used to] address environmental racism." She also made it clear that while the two concepts are connected, they are not the same.

I was particularly interested in exploring the relationship between environmental justice and environmental racism. After talking with members of the newly-formed Centre for Environmental Justice in Shelburne—a community that’s long struggled with environmental racism—I felt there must be some overlap between these ideas.

When I asked Dr. Waldron about the connection, she offered a helpful analogy: "Environmental racism for me is the condition, the illness, and the diagnosis… The advancement of environmental justice requires the use and application of specific tools, resources and actions to address environmental racism once we determine the causal factors for environmental racism. For example, the new environmental justice law I co-developed with former politician Lenore Zann is one such tool that has the potential to advance environmental justice in Canada.” In other words, environmental racism is the illness, and environmental justice is the antidote.

Eager to learn more about these ‘antidotes,’ I asked how the fight for environmental rights in Nova Scotia fits into this discussion, especially with growing concerns about climate change. Having worked on developing materials to engage with East Coast Environmental Law’s proposed Environmental Bill of Rights and Responsibilities over the summer, I hoped it would align with efforts to tackle environmental racism. I was also curious about how it might be improved.

Dr. Waldron reassured me that the Bill "fits nicely" into the broader fight for environmental justice, especially with its "strong analysis of race, racism, and socioeconomic status." However, she pointed out that the push for environmental rights "could be even more forceful," particularly for those who continue to suffer most from environmental racism.

As we shifted our conversation to discussing climate change, I kept returning to Dr. Waldron’s analogy—understanding the climate crisis as the illness, climate justice as the goal, and the proposed Environmental Bill of Rights and Responsibilities as part of the solution. Dr. Waldron shared that “[the Bill] is also a tool to advance climate justice.” The proposed Bill has a robust understanding of the climate crisis and has been designed to think about environmental rights and responsibilities in the context of the current climate emergency. Written into the preamble and the purpose of the Bill, addressing the climate crisis is a fundamental element of this proposed legislation. Dr. Waldron added that the Bill can be even more effective as it explicitly addresses climate justice: "People tend to forget that climate change has health effects. Given that the Bill focuses on the right to a healthy environment, it must consider the health effects of climate change and how climate devastation can lead to poor health. In addition, climate justice must be centred in this Bill to highlight, similar to environmental racism, the need for tools, resources and actions that can advance climate justice, especially for marginalized communities such as racialized communities, elderly people and persons with disabilities.”

In the final moments of our conversation, Dr. Waldron talked about her involvement in other environmental rights legislation and how it connects to the ongoing campaign led by East Coast Environmental Law. We ended on a hopeful note, emphasizing the importance of continuing this work and pushing for meaningful change in Nova Scotia and beyond.