Lanark Health and Community Services (LHCS) is a non-profit, community-governed organization whose purpose is to support the people of Lanark County and parts of Leeds and Grenville, Renfrew and Frontenac Counties in achieving the best possible health and social well-being.

It is within this context that we join the municipal and county governments across eastern Ontario who have called for an immediate moratorium on exploration and mining of uranium in Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa River watershed.

We see the moratorium however, as an interim measure, and further call upon the Province of Ontario to adopt the Precautionary Principle with regard to uranium exploration and mining in Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa River watershed.

The Precautionary Principle states:

"When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically."

Taking precautionary action, despite scientific uncertainty, responds directly to the lack of full scientific certainty that exists when we deal with the complexities of environmental health issues. It is an approach that seeks to prevent harm in the first place, rather than scientifically documenting it in one generation and then, if possible, belatedly trying to mitigate harm in the next. It denotes a duty, on all members of society, to prevent harm, when it is within our power to do so, even when the evidence is uncertain or unattainable.

The Precautionary Principle has key elements embedded in it which includes: acting upon early evidence of harm; shifting the burden of proof; assessing alternatives, and exercising democracy and transparency. Therefore, we call on the Province of Ontario to:

* place the burden of proof on Frontenac Ventures and other proponents rather than on the citizens and communities affected or potentially affected by these activities;

* examine and explore the full range of alternatives available, including the nul option with no uranium exploration or mining;

* engage all jurisdictions (including the provincial Ministries of Health; Health Promotion; Environment; Aboriginal Affairs; Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Energy; Natural Resources; Northern Development and Mines and the local and regional governments and First Nation's councils) in setting and working towards goals that protect human health and the environment; and

* bring open, informed, and democratic processes to decisions affecting health and the environment by commissioning a fully transparent health, social and environmental impact assessment before any exploratory drilling for uranium commences.

Thank you for your consideration of this issue. We look forward to hearing your reply.

Sincerely,

Mary Glimour
Board Chair
Lanark Health and Community Services