Blog: Faces of CELA, Zoé St Pierre

What is your role and how long have you been involved with CELA?

I am the incoming articling student for the 2022-2023 term. I will officially join CELA at the end of July.

What inspired you to get involved in environmental law and public policy?

I have always been interested in the interdisciplinary nature of environmental issues, specifically, their intersection with the built environment and gender. Before going to law school to focus on environmental law, I completed my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies at Laurentian University’s School of the Environment as well as my master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Policy at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration.

What do you think is Canada’s biggest environmental challenge today?

I think Canada’s biggest environmental challenge relates to climate change, but more specifically I think it is the need for a just transition of Canada’s fossil fuel industry workers. When we think about environmental issues, we tend to focus on the physical environment and can often forget about people. I believe helping workers transition towards a cleaner energy industry will ensure Canada becomes energy independent, provides clean and affordable energy across the country and can help empower its workforce all at the same time.

How do you think we can best approach this challenge?

I think to approach this challenge, we will need mobilization from all sides: all levels of government, industry and grass-roots movements.

If you were the Leader of the World, what environmental law or policy would you implement?

If I was the Leader of the World, the first environmental law that I would implement would be that access to all National Parks, Provincial Parks and Conservation Areas would be free of charge to everyone across the world.

When you’re not working on environmental issues, what do you like to do?

I love to go camping and explore Ontario’s many provincial parks.