Calls to Action for Those in What is Currently Vancouver — Tell City Council to Sue Big Oil!
Author
Manvi Bhalla
My commitment to intersectional justice began at age 11, and is deeply informed by my lived experiences as a Sikh woman from Punjab, who immigrated to Canada at age 3, and who navigates the world with a neurodiverse perspective. My lived experiences growing up in urban and suburban Canadian cities– where racially-minoritized new immigrants, particularly women, continue to experience disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards, alongside reduced access to benefits such as green and natural spaces– has shaped my understanding of environmental justice.
I presently live on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and I am immensely grateful for the land defense efforts that have allowed for me to connect with the natural world around me. These experiences continue to deepen my passion for environmental stewardship and justice.
My educational background, with a BSc Hons in Biomedical Science, an MSc in Public Health and Health Systems, and currently as a PhD student in Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, has shaped my understanding of the climate crisis as a critical public health issue. My research focuses on inclusively integrating the experiences, knowledges and expertise of racially, ethnically, and gender-minoritized communities into environmental health policy-making.
As a founder and Executive Director of Shake Up The Establishment, I am dedicated to upholding our mission and values by amplifying the voices, experiences and expertise of underserved, minoritized and marginalized communities and working alongside them to promote equity and climate justice. My lived experiences and academic background empower me to lead our organization with a deep commitment to intersectional and anti-colonial approaches, ensuring that our work not only acknowledges but actively addresses the systemic inequities that disproportionately impact marginalized communities. By integrating intersectional feminist and anti-racist approaches into our work, we strive to create a movement that is inclusive, equitable, and transformative. My goal is to contribute to a collective liberation from oppressive systems, where all individuals and communities can thrive in healthy, safe, and equitable environments. I am committed to leading SUTE in a manner that helps us to advance towards just, equitable, and sustainable futures for all.
Background
On July 20th, 2022, Sue Big Oil had a massive win: Vancouver City Council voted to back the lawsuit against major fossil fuel corporations! City Council voted to allocate one dollar per Vancouver resident to support this future class-action lawsuit back in July. Now we need to make our voices heard by our City Council to ensure this is honoured in the budget.
Action Items
(1) Tell Vancouver City Council loud and clear: keep Sue Big Oil in the budget!
Remind our political leadership that they work for you and that their decisions should always work towards upholding practices and policies that support the health & wellbeing of our communities. Write an email to City Council urging them to retain funding for a climate lawsuit in the budget. The Sue Big Oil team has prepared a package here, containing background information and sample text that you can use to write your message.
(2) Join us on Thursday, March 2nd for a night of calling Vancouver City Council!
Let’s show Vancouver City Council we support Sue Big Oil. Tell Council it’s fiscally irresponsible to pass hundreds of millions of dollars in costs from heat, storms, and rising sea level onto Vancouver residents while letting Big Oil pocket the profits. Make Big Oil pay up!!
We will gather virtually next week so we can share skills on making effective calls to City Council in support of Sue Big Oil and take collective action to keep Sue Big Oil fully funded in the 2023 budget.
When: Thursday, March 2, from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Where: on Zoom
Send a Letter, Email or Social Media Post to Vancouver City Council
Address your letter to:
Mayor and Council
City of Vancouver 453 West 12th Ave Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4
Talking points that you may wish to include in your letter:
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Explain who you are and that you are a resident of Vancouver.
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Describe any climate change impacts you have experienced and/or why you are concerned about climate change.
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Climate change is already having negative impacts for the City of Vancouver. In recent years, we have experienced a deadly heat wave that killed over 100 Vancouver residents, as well as wildfire smoke, extreme storms and flooding.
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Vancouver is already paying an estimated $50 million per year for climate costs. Future costs for the City of Vancouver related to sea level rise have been estimated at $1 billion.
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Vancouver’s municipal government and residents cannot afford the skyrocketing costs of climate change.
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Vancouver City Council has a choice – for its residents to pay 100% of climate damage and adaptation, or to seek to recover a fair share of those costs from the world’s largest fossil fuel companies.
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Lawsuits against fossil fuel companies are a fiscally responsible approach to recover a share of climate costs incurred by governments.
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28 Canadian law professors have recommended that municipalities pursue this type of lawsuit.
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In July, Vancouver City Council voted to include $1 per resident in the city’s 2023 budget towards the costs of a class action lawsuit to be brought jointly with other local governments.
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Council should stand by this commitment. It makes sense.
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A budget that does not include funds to work with other local governments on a class action lawsuit against global fossil fuel companies would put those huge costs back onto taxpayers and letting fossil fuel executives pocket the profits.
Tips for writing emails to City Councillors
1. Include your contact information
This indicates that you are a Vancouver resident.
2. Be concise
Written communication should be no longer than one page. If you have any supporting materials you would like to add, attach them to your email.
3. Be clear
State that your objective is to support keeping funds for climate litigation in the budget. Follow with a brief introduction outlining why we need this report. Keep to the same topic and emphasize two or three major points only.
4. Keep it local and personal
Describe your interest in the issue and any experience you have regarding it. Draw on climate-related impacts you have experienced in Vancouver. Such as wildfire smoke, the 2021 heat wave, the January 2023 winter storm and other extreme weather events.
5. Be assertive and stay on topic
Firmly ask City Councillors to vote to keep $1 per resident in the budget.
6. Be respectful
