Webinar: Animal agriculture and environmental protection

Learn about Canadian and international laws dealing with the environmental impacts of intensive animal agriculture and opportunities for legislative change, co-hosted by AEL Advocacy.

During this informative webinar, we will delve into the findings of our recently published report, which offers a comprehensive analysis of select Canadian and international laws dealing with the environmental impacts of animal agriculture, covering topics such as nutrient pollution, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. It also provides recommendations for legislative and policy reform in Ontario, as well as insights into utilizing existing laws to address the construction or expansion of intensive livestock operations.

Video timeline:

00:11:25 - Lynn Kavanagh's presentation
00:20:30 - Krystal-Anne Roussel's presentation
00:48:27 - Vicky Burn's presentation
00:56:50 - Q&A

Thank you to our speakers:

Krystal-Anne Roussel

Krystal-Anne Roussel is Co-Director and Counsel at AEL Advocacy. She is a lifelong advocate for animal and environmental justice, having previously worked as a legal intern with East Coast Environmental Law, Animal Justice, and the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick, and as a staff lawyer and water policy coordinator at the Canadian Environmental Law Association. Krystal has a Bachelor of Arts from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law in June 2020.

Lynn Kavanagh

Lynn Kavanagh is the Farming Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection where she advocates for a more sustainable and just food system. She has worked in animal advocacy for many years, having previously sat on the board of the Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals. During that time, she worked tirelessly to raise awareness and advocate for an end to the use of inhumane gestation crates for breeding sows. Lynn has a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from York University and an MSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare from the University of Guelph.

Guest speakers:

Vicki Burns

Vicki Burns is a graduate of the University of Manitoba’s School of Social Work. After working for the first 20 years of her career in human services, Vicki joined the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) as Executive Director in 1994. During that period, the hog industry expanded exponentially and the welfare of the pigs in the massive industrial facilities became a priority. Vicki joined a new coalition, Hog Watch Manitoba, whose goal was to promote an environmentally, ethically and economically sustainable hog industry.

After leaving WHS in 2008, Vicki became involved in work to protect and restore the health of Lake Winnipeg. The connection between the poor state of the lake and Manitoba’s hog industry is a troubling one and Vicki has worked to bring awareness and change in this area.

Vicki is currently Treasurer of Hog Watch Manitoba, Director of the Save Lake Winnipeg Project and writes a blog H2O: Ideas and Action for Canada’s Water.

Moderator:

Holly Lake

Holly Lake is a freelance journalist and lawyer writing about the environment, the ocean, and the finned, fluked & furry. Born in Newfoundland, raised in Labrador, she has an undergraduate in law and political science from Carleton University, a master’s degree in journalism from Western University, and a law degree from the University of Ottawa.

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