The 80-year-old Lynn Oliphant makes every effort to lessen his environmental impact. He wants the Saskatchewan government to begin acting in a similar manner. With the help of Climate Justice Saskatoon, Oliphant is one of seven individuals of Saskatchewan, ranging in age from 15 to 80, who are suing the government of Saskatchewan for its part in climate change.
On March 31, the organization submitted a request to the Court of King’s Bench asserting that the government’s decision to increase the production of energy from gas-fired sources is in violation of Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects the rights to life, liberty, and security.
By 2035, the petitioners want the court to mandate that the Crown corporation SaskPower set a realistic goal for decarbonization and attain net-zero emissions. “The only way to address this is by rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, so building a new gas-fired power plant like we are in Moose Jaw and possibly another in Lanigan is not the sustainable path,” Oliphant claimed.
Oliphant and his wife reside in a house they constructed more than 25 years ago that is energy efficient. They employ solar energy instead of fossil fuels or natural gas for heating or any other type of energy use. He claimed that the adjustments reduced their carbon impact by 50%.
According to Oliphant, “we don’t get very far if you’re living in an environment where the government doesn’t make it easy to do the right thing. According to SaskPower, their current goals are to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels by 2030.
The province of Saskatchewan’s choice to construct natural gas-fired power stations will be defended, according to the provincial government, since it “is the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without injuriously affecting our people and economy.”
