Environmental groups have been watching the first weeks of Christy Clark’s tenure as leader of the B.C. Liberals closely.

After a B.C. Liberal leadership campaign where environmental issues were barely mentioned, we were looking for something to indicate that Clark’s government would in fact take wilderness protection and other environmental issues seriously. We heard a lot of talk about “families first”, but a lot less about the environment, which is one of the first priorities of families right across this province.

While Clark still has an opportunity to turn the ship around, her first actions as premier have not inspired confidence in her commitment to the environment.

First, there is her feverish support of Taseko Mines’ proposed Prosperity Mine near Williams Lake, which threatened to destroy Fish Lake. In November 2010, the federal government decided to turn down the controversial project at the end of the environmental assessment process. They determined that the impacts were too great—that the clean waters brimming full of trout could not be replaced by an manmade lake. They recognized the fiery determination of the Tsilhqot’in people to protect their traditional territories and to make their own land use decisions. And they made the right choice.

Unfortunately, the B.C. government did not make as good of a decision on the Fish Lake proposal. Our environmental assessment process passed the project with flying colours, which is a frightening testament to the erosion of the B.C. environment assessment process.

Though the feds effectively killed the project, Premier Clark has made it her personal mission to bring this proposal back from the dead. (The thought of her pushing this mine forward is almost as scary as encountering a herd of zombies.)

And I am not the only one up in arms about her priorities. The recent headlines about Premier Clark’s lobbying efforts sent waves of outrage through many environmentalists and people who care about indigenous rights.

Another indication of where Premier Clark will be taking the government came with her cabinet reshuffle. Notably absent from the new cabinet was the position of minister of state for climate action.

Premier Clark has an opportunity to build upon B.C.’s existing climate legislation by rolling out an effective plan to meet our legally binding commitments. But the fact that Clark cut climate action from the cabinet does not bode well.

Kamloops MLA Terry Lake—a rookie in cabinet—has been named Clark’s new environment minister. In order to gain trust, especially after this rocky start, it would be great to see the new minister find an important environmental policy to own and push forward.

My suggestion, as a first step, would be to implement a provincewide cosmetic pesticide ban.

Cosmetic pesticides pose a significant threat to human health, especially small children who are still developing. Many of the chemicals in pesticides have been linked to cancer, developmental defects, and behavioural disorders.

As the scientific evidence about the long-term consequences of pesticide exposure piles up, more and more people are calling for a ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides. Already over 150 municipalities across Canada and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have banned cosmetic pesticides.

Minister Lake, when he was mayor of Kamloops, himself called for a provincewide pesticide ban from the floor of the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention. Whether or not Lake follows through on his past commitment to this ban remains to be seen.

We can all agree that the health of our families should come first, certainly before our desire to have a perfect looking lawn. Hopefully Premier Clark and Minister Lake will also agree, and take immediate steps to enact a ban on cosmetic pesticides.

Tria Donaldson is a youth climate activist who has been involved with the goBeyond project, the Sierra Youth Coalition, and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. She is currently the Pacific coast campaigner for the Wilderness Committee.