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December 1, 2008 MEDIA RELEASE
KINGSTON- This past weekend CTV’s current affairs program W5 brought national attention to the plight of Ontario landowners who for more than a decade, have been fighting to protect their properties from unwanted mining activities. In spite of the process to reform the Mining Act of Ontario, the failings of the Act continue to be a hot topic. The Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU) representing thousands of landowners and concerned citizens, welcomed the TV attention and hopes it spurs the government to seriously consider its proposals to fix antiquated mining legislation in Ontario. “We are following the Mining Act review process very closely and we will be expecting several things from it,” says Marilyn Crawford, a member of CCAMU. * CCAMU’s expects the
province to: “Our community continues to endure hardships. As long as there are no changes to Ontario’s Mining Act, it is just a matter of time before another conflict arises. The public won’t accept that claims can be staked on private land and that exploration for uranium can take place without community consent and environmental assessment,” said Wolfe Erlichman, a member of CCAMU. For more information, please
contact BACKGROUND Frank and Gloria Morrison first brought national attention on CBC’s ‘As it Happens’ in January 2007 and again this week on CTV’s current affairs program ‘W Five.’ Next will be international exposure: German television plans to air a documentary later this month. The protest at the Robertsville Mine site and the formation of Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium were initiated when Frontenac Ventures Corporation staked a mining claim on private property. Plans to explore for uranium lead to the day jailing of Bob Lovelace of the Ardoch Algonquin for his part in the peaceful protest at the Robertsville site. One hundred days into his sentence, a court of appeal released Mr. Lovelace. In September, Judge Cunningham awarded costs of $175 000 to be paid by Lovelace and his community. Donna Dillman, a member of CCAMU, went on a 68 day hunger strike to raise awareness to issues involving uranium exploration and mining. In April, 2008, CCAMU held the Citizens’ Inquiry into the Impacts of the Uranium Cycle with over 400 presentations and submissions. The report, Staking our Claim on a Healthy Future, made recommendations to Federal and Provincial governments. Premier McGuinty announced that, “Ontario is going to modernize the way mining companies stake and explore their claims to be more respectful of Aboriginal communities and private land holders.” There is no hint that changes will modernize the Mining Act and growing evidence that the public won’t be satisfied with a band-aid solution. The controversial free-entry
system allows prospectors to claim rights to minerals |
