Hope Derived from Doctors in Sept-Îles

Below is a link to an interesting article (in French) about the situation in Sept-Îles. Among other things, it discusses the motivations of the doctors who reject uranium exploitation and the engineers/geologists who work for exploration companies and support it.

Highlights include the fact the 24 protesting doctors are not:

• politicians seeking re-election
• engineers and geologists who live off mining
• careerists or self-promoters
• ecologists
• idealogues

What they are is simply doctors pointing out a health risk - primarily to a drinking water supply.

These same issues apply to MRC des Collines de l'Outaouais and MRC du Pontiac should the pace of uranium exploration revive in future (as some indicators are pointing towards).

In West Quebec the Ottawa, Gatineau and La Peche rivers might all someday be near the site of uranium exploitation. These would be high tonnage, low grade open pit mines with lots of tailings acting like ticking timebombs waiting to seep into the water table and watercourse....

More:

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/chroniqueurs/pierre-foglia/200912/19/01-932537-sept-iles-lespoir.php

New Online Petition Against Uranium Exploitation in Quebec

There is a new online petition against uranium mining in Quebec.

Please show your support!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/moratoire2009/

Sunday Dec 13 Rally - Sept-Îles

Quebec Uranium Moratorium Called For in Sept-Îles

The citizens in Sept-Îles are demanding the government of Quebec hold a referendum on uranium exploitation in Quebec.

It would be the democratic way to resolve this intractable problem.

Sept-Îles Sans Uranium is organizing a march in their community on Sunday (Dec. 13) aimed at forcing the Quebec government to hold a debate on the health and safety concerns surrounding uranium mining.

More:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/protesters-seek-debate-on-uranium-mining/article1393708/

Three Articles in Le Devoir - Uranium Exploration Makes More News

Here are three recent articles in Le Devoir about the uranium protest in Sept-Îles:

1) What the doctors there are saying:

http://www.ledevoir.com/economie/actualites-economiques/278773/pour-un-moratoire-sur-les-mines-d-uranium-au-quebec

2) An article about the proponent conducting exploration:

http://www.ledevoir.com/economie/actualites-economiques/278784/uranium-l-alerte-raisonnable

3) Some analysis of the doctors' position:

http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/278827/exploration-et-exploitation-de-gisements-d-uranium-a-sept-iles-la-menace-de-demission-des-medecins-force-quebec-a-reagir

Quebec Government Talking Out of Both Sides of Its Mouth

After repeated statements in the past from various representatives of the Charest government and on the Quebec MRNF's web site that there is "no risk to public health" from uranium exploration, it is surprising how the Quebec Mining Act is going to be amended.

Here is what the MRNF site says:

During uranium exploration, what are the risks to public health?

Uranium exploration does not pose a risk to public health, as recently mentioned by the Direction de santé publique de la Côte-Nord. Uranium exploration methods do not significantly modify the natural environment. Therefore, there is practically no risk of producing an increase in natural public exposure to radioactive substances simply due to mineral exploration.

The new legislation tabled last week in the National Assembly says the following:

47. The Act is amended by inserting the following section after section 230:

“230.1. The holder of a mining right or an operator who is engaged in exploration for or discovers or mines mineral substances that contain or may contain 0.05% or more of uranium must take the protective measures prescribed by regulation and any other measure the Minister may impose.”

I am completely flabergasted by the new law! If there is supposed to be "no risk to public health" from uranium exploration, why then are protective measures needed when even a small amount of uranium is found?

Just What Are the Changes to the Quebec Mining Act?

Last week the Quebec government introduced legislative changes to the Quebec Mining Act.

In short, there are changes to the law about ownership of surface rights, registration of mining rights, how credits for exploration are handled, new powers to the Minister to avoid conflicts with other uses of land (potentially a good thing - Ed.), new mine rehabilitation rules (100% of the rehabilitation costs must be guaranteed), new requirements for public consultation, a requirement to report to the Minister any discovery of uranium of 0.05% or more and some other miscellaneous changes.

So, as noted earlier, some tentative, timid steps forward.

But what's of course missing is a ban on uranium exploration and protection of private land owners' rights! This government just doesn't get it. Then again, maybe they do - from the mining companies.

See the actual amendments the Act here:
http://www.assnat.qc.ca/eng/39legislature1/Projets-loi/Publics/09-a079.pdf

See a related article on Mineweb: http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page72068?oid=94056&sn=Detail

20 Doctors in Sept-Îles Quebec Resign Over Planned Uranium Mine

Doctors resign en masse over uranium exploration

MONTREAL - Twenty doctors have handed in their resignations at the Centre hospitalier régional de Sept-Îles.

In an open letter addressed to Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc, the physicians say they have quit, as a group, to protest plans to build an uranium mine on the North Shore.
The protest comes on the heels of the introduction new government mining legislation, which does not impose a moratorium on uranium exploitation in Quebec.

The doctors say they fear for their own families' health as well as for the health of the population in the region.

Source: The Gazette December 4, 2009 1:58 PM
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Doctors+resign+masse+over+uranium+exploration/2302892/story.html
The open letter can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/notes/cipc-991-la-radioactive/une-vingtaine-de-medecins-quittent-sept-iles-voici-la-lettre-de-demission/228520863274

More in the Globe and Mail December 5, 2009: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec-unmoved-in-standoff-with-doctors/article1389964/

Sept-Îles sans URANIUM Communiqué!

Pour publication immédiate

Les Médecins ou le nucléaire?

Sept-Îles, le 4 décembre 2009 -- Sept-Îles Sans Uranium appuie les médecins qui avisent le ministre de la Santé, M. Yves Bolduc, et, ce faisant, le gouvernement du Québec qu’ils se voient obligés de quitter la région puisque l’activité minière uranifère continue malgré tous les dangers de la radioactivité.

Nous constatons que l’uranium du Québec, déjà bien connu et claimé, prend une importance mondiale avec l’avenue des pays émergents comme l’Inde qui, pour arriver à une réduction de GES de 45% à Copenhague, convertiront leurs sources d’énergie au nucléaire.

Le Canada, sa technologie et son industrie viennent de signer une entente de partenariat nucléaire avec l’Inde, démontrant que notre uranium et nos entreprises auront un accès privilégié à ce marché (des dizaines de centrales).

Une centrale nucléaire équivaut en dollars au projet de La Romaine. Imaginez
la pression des lobbys.

Quand on pense que pour chaque baril d’uranium sorti du sous-sol québécois, on laissera dans chacune des régions productrices une vingtaine de barils de matières radioactives mélangées aux millions de tonnes de résidus miniers que nous les citoyens du Québec devront en bout de ligne gérer pour toujours.

Le gouvernement de l’Ontario, en octobre 2009, a débloqué 250 millions de dollars pour la gestion des résidus d’une ancienne mine d’uranium. Cela équivaut au budget de restauration de plus de 300 sites miniers abandonnés au Québec. L’uranium n’est pas un métal comme les autres. Il est radioactif et tous les Québécois ont le droit d’être informés et consultés quant à l’avenir d’une industrie de l’uranium au Québec. Entre-temps, il faut un moratoire.

Conférence de presse

Lundi le 7 décembre 2009, SISUR vous convoque à une conférence de presse dont l’heure et le lieu vous seront confirmés lundi matin.

Les points suivants seront abordés :
- La pertinence du sondage de la ville de Sept-Îles;
- Le droit à l’information des citoyens;
- Les impacts de la modification de la Loi sur les Mines proposée;
- Le départ des médecins;
- Le point de vue Innu;
- Les travaux de forage;

Seront représentés :
- Les Innu de Uashat mak Mani-Utenam;
- Les médecins;
- Le Groupe RADON;
- Sept-Îles Sans Uranium;
- Et d’autres dont la disponibilité reste à confirmer.

Notez que lundi des représentants du groupe de médecins seront disponibles pour des entrevues. Réservez votre entrevue aujourd’hui au 418-927-2528.

Rencontre citoyenne – Tous en arrière de nos médecins, pour nos enfants !

Aussi, lundi le 7 décembre à partir de 18h, SISUR invite les citoyens à venir discuter et/ou assister à la réunion du conseil municipal à l’hôtel de ville. La ville doit faire preuve de LEADERSHIP dans ce dossier. Et comme M. Serge Lévesque l’a si bien dit ce matin à LCN, les médecins ont sûrement la formation nécessaire pour connaître les dangers de l’uranium.

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Pour renseignements, communiquez avec:
Marc Fafard
Porte-parole de Sept-Îles sans URANIUM
418 927-2528
sisur2009@yahoo.ca


Listen to Radio-Canada coverage here:

http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/est-quebec/2009/12/04/001-demission_medecins_Sept-iles.shtml

http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/est-quebec/2009/12/03/007-mine-loi-reactions.shtml