Leslie Newman on the Waterkeeper's boat, the Angus Bruce, which is used to collect water samples from various parts of Lake Ontario |
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
This summer, through Pro Bono Students Canada and U of T Law, I have a Donner Fellowship with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. It has been an inspiring and instructive experience. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is dedicated to protecting Lake Ontario's water quality and ensuring that the right to clean water is protected for future generations.
My work has involved researching various issues concerning contamination of the Great Lakes Ecosystem. These include the proposed manufacture of slightly enriched uranium at Cameco and its impact on the community of Port Hope, the ongoing issue of sewage bypasses in Kingston, and the lead discharge limits granted by the provincial government to some of our iron and steel manufacturing industries.
I have had the opportunity to explore a wide range of provincial and national environmental laws, take samples in Waterkeeper's boat, the Angus Bruce, and liaise with the public in a wide range of situations. I have visited schools across the GTA, where I spoke with students about environmental issues in general and Waterkeeper's work in particular, and attended a speech given by Robert Kennedy Jr., President of the International Waterkeeper Alliance.
Working with Mark and Krystyn, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper's President and Executive Director, has been tremendous. It is inspiring to be with people who are so deeply committed to their mission and who carry it out with energy, dedication, and absolute integrity. I cannot speak highly enough of the experience this fellowship has given me. Perhaps most valuable of all, it has reinforced my belief that individually and collectively we can make a difference in this world and the study of law gives us invaluable tools with which to do so.
