Dr. Ingrid Waldron and Dr. Juliet Daniel on a new research project to determine whether there is a link between relatively high rates of cancer among members of Shelburne’s Black community and the nearby dump, and how it will pave the way for further studies on the relationship between environmental racism and chronic diseases.
Awareness of environmental racism in Nova Scotia has changed for the better over the last five years or so. A private members bill, shaped to a large extent by Dr. Ingrid Waldron and introduced by then NDP MLA Lenore Zann in 2015, played a considerable part in that shift. Waldron and Zann, now a Liberal MP, are giving the legislation another shot, this time in Ottawa.
Press release: On Thursday, December 3, 2020, the MP for Cumberland-Colchester will be putting the federal private members bill A National Strategy to Redress Environmental Racism (Bill C-230) forward to second reading in the House of Commons.
PSA: “With the release of the film, There’s Something in the Water on Netflix this Friday, March 27, 2020, the voices of affected communities in Nova Scotia will now be elevated and amplified globally,” writes Ingrid Waldron.
It looks like the Town of Shelburne is not interested in the generous offer by filmmaker and actress Ellen Page to pay for a much-needed public well for the Black community in town. But the town’s legacy of environmental racism calls for reparations, and that well would be a great start.
Thursday is Shades of Green day, but Shades of Green has a case of laryngitis and needs to rest her voice this week. There will be no new podcast episode until next week. Fortunately, CBC’s The Current has just released a special edition from a town hall exploring anti-black racism in Nova Scotia, including environmental racism, gentrification, and violence against women.
Check out the excellent first episode of the Shades of Green podcast, featuring Barabara Low, El Jones, Ingrid Waldron, Carolyn Phinney, Catherine Martin, and many more. What is environmentalism? What do we mean when we talk about “the environment” here on unceded Mi’kmaq territory? Who defines what’s included in that meaning, and what’s left out? At Shades of Green, these juicy questions have led to… well, more questions.
While municipalities reliably test the quality of water delivered through the utilities they manage, rural residents who rely on wells are on their own, reports new contributor Fazeela Jiwa. Now a new organization, Rural Water Watch Association (RWW), will respond to rural community members’ calls to test their water quality, addressing concerns about living close to toxic sites like landfills or incinerators.
People manage their depression and anxiety in all kinds of different ways. Your cultural background plays a role in that, and whether you are poor or rich also matters. A study hopes to learn more about the different ways we deal with mental health issues, so that healthcare can become more accommodating. If you live in HRM you can help.
Shelburne activist Louise Delisle says Shelburne councillor Rick Davis should issue a real and public apology to the entire Black community in town, not just post some weasel words and a lot of self pity on her personal Facebook page. Meanwhile people elsewhere are speaking out in her support and other activities are being planned.