Margot Venton

Margot with Meredith

Growing up in Toronto, Margot Venton’s environmentalist views were rooted early in life when her Grade 2 teacher informed the class that raw sewage was being dumped into the local harbour.  Such knowledge coupled with the sight of watching fish being washed ashore proved to be unacceptable to a young Margot, “the whole scenario just struck me as wrong.”

After spending several years volunteering for environmental causes and groups, Margot decided to go to law school.  “The law has played such an important role in social justice movements that it seemed like an obvious choice of career.”

While at law school Margot had the opportunity to volunteer with Ecojustice doing research on some of its earliest cases.  She went on to work as a summer student 1996 and articling student in 1997 before being called to the bar in 1998.  That very same year Margot would become a staff lawyer with Ecojustice. 

During her career with Ecojustice Margot has worked in many different issues from harlequin ducks to the oil sands, focusing extensively on protected areas, biodiversity, international law, and healthy oceans.  Margot is currently focusing her work on Canadian’s right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. 

The birth of her daughter Meredith in 2006 has strengthened Margot’s commitment to environmental protection and the work of Ecojustice.  “My goal is to be able to look Meredith in the eye and tell her that she does not need to be afraid of the future.  It is my great hope that our work at Ecojustice will help make that happen.”