The following information is provided as a starting point for you to engage with elected officials towards positive changes to environmental policies in British Columbia.

Take action to help protect critical salmon habitat in the Atlin-Taku region

Right now, the future of the Atlin-Taku region in BC’s wild north needs your voice. 

You have the rare opportunity to speak out and help protect a region roughly the size of Vancouver Island. The Atlin-Taku region in northwestern BC has thrived for millennia under First Nations management and is a largely unroaded jewel. It is home to a vast array of wildlife and ecosystems as well as vital habitat to all five Pacific salmon species. 

The governments of British Columbia and the Taku River Tlingit First Nation are about to make a decision that will determine the fate of the area. Will the Atlin-Taku continue to be a biological sanctuary for thousands of species? Or will it be fragmented by roads and mines? 

Your voice is needed to show that there is broad support for a bold conservation vision in the  Atlin-Taku. Click here to take action.

Contact the Premier and your locally elected MLA

The best way to have your views heard is to speak directly to the Premier and your local Member of the Legislative Assembly or MLA. In a representative democracy, elected officials are there to represent the views of their constituents (the people who live in their electoral district) regardless of whether you voted for them or not. It’s also important to consider that elected officials can only make as good a decision as the information they have available to them at the time they make the decision. By letting them know your views and any information that you think will help them make a decision, you are helping democracy work better.

Contact Premier Gordon Campbell

Find your electoral district and MLA

Learn more about how BC’s legislature works

The BC legislature web site contains several sections that help citizens understand how the legislature works and how ideas become laws. The following four sections are useful to read to understand how you can participate more fully in the decision-making process.

• Overview of the Legislative Assembly
  

• How laws are made
  

• Track the progress of Bills
• Learn more about Legislative Committees

Other ways to get involved

The media is another powerful tool for citizens to discuss ideas, opinions and provide information for public debate. Consider calling a local talk show or writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper (contacts provided below) and let them know that the issue you are concerned about matters to you. Your comments needn’t be long or eloquent: short and to the point is just as likely to be heard. Click here for how to contact the main national and BC newspapers.

Join an environmental group and help add your voice to others who are concerned about environmental issues in your community. Check out the Priorities for Environmental Leadership member page.