|
JULY 24th , 2008 |
|
IN THIS ISSUE: 1) ACTION AT THE ROBERTSVILLE SITE 2) CCAMU'S LETTER TO MCGUINTY REGARDING WITHDRAWN LAND 3) FAMU'S URANIUM WALKS CONTINUE 4) ARCHIVED STATEMENT FROM THE SHABOT OBAADJIWAN FIRST NATION 6) ARTICLE: NATIVE PROTESTS AND THE LAW 1) ACTION AT THE ROBERTSVILLE SITE On Sunday, July 20, the Uranium News released the following invitation from the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, "The AAFN community will be offering a traditional teaching (the story of the Great Bow), given by Bob Lovelace at the Robertsville site (highway 509), at 8:30am on Monday July 21st. Please join us." -Co-chief Mireille LaPointe 30 people attended the event and the Kingston Whig-Standard posted the following article on their website, http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1123917 News Briefs Posted July 23, 2008 OPP INVESTIGATING URANIUM SITE VISITORS "As many as 30 people who turned up at the controversial uranium mine site near Sharbot Lake yesterday could find themselves in hot water for violating a court injunction. OPP Sgt. Kristine Rae said the group turned up at the gate to the site around 8:30 a. m. and left of their accord about an hour later. A court injunction, which prohibits protesters from getting within 200 metres of the proposed mine site or any Frontenac Ventures employees, remains in place. There was no confrontation with police, but the Ontario Provincial Police is investigating the incident."
The OPP officer said that it was important for people to know that they are not immune to charges simply because of Appeal Courts ruling. They ruled on the sentencing and did not strike down the injunction it's self. The Uranium News received the following statement from the OPP at 5 pm, July 24, 2008, "Frontenac Ventures has advised that they do not intend to prosecute those involved at the gathering in front of the gate at the Robertsville site on Monday. Therefore, the OPP will not be issuing summonses." A more detailed OPP statement is still pending but it is yet to be finalized. 2) CCAMU'S LETTER TO MCGUINTY REGARDING WITHDRAWN LAND
Dear Premier McGuinty, On behalf of our members and supporters, the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU) acknowledges your efforts toward resolving the issues surrounding claim staking and exploration for uranium in Frontenac County in Eastern Ontario. We approve of orders 52-08 and 53-08 withdrawing lands from staking, sale or lease. We view this as a positive first step, on the part of MNDM, toward addressing the issues and reducing the anxiety facing our communities. Further action is now needed to clarify and consolidate the progress being made. We understand that the status of the land encompassed by the recent withdrawals is uncertain. Yet on August 1, 2007, mining lease number 108149, in Palmerston district, was renewed, even though the lease is within the area where the status is uncertain. We therefore believe that the renewal was made in error. Please tell us what action you will take to reverse the renewal and to resolve this issue. We realize that the land described in the withdrawal orders could theoretically be reopened to staking at some point. We ask that, in addition to uncertainty of land status, other factors be seriously considered in regard to the availability of lands for staking, sale or lease for exploration or mining. In particular, we expect due weight to be given to the concerns of the public around health, the environment and community sustainability. We trust this process will lead to the permanent withdrawal of the lands in question from exploration and mining for uranium. We bring to you attention that 23 Municipal Councils so far have petitioned the Province for a moratorium on uranium exploration and/or for substantive changes to the Mining Act (see attached list of municipalities.) In addition, scores of organizations and thousands of eastern Ontario voters have supported our call for a suspension of uranium development pending a proper study of environmental, social and economic impacts. A list of these organizations is also attached. The withdrawal of lands is a good first step. Cancellation of mining lease 108149 is another important and immediate step that would help to address some major concerns. Further progress would include following the lead of other provinces that have imposed a moratorium of significant restrictions on uranium exploration and development. We have attached information about New Brunswick's recent introduction of such regulations to address public concerns and protect drinking water, and of the measures in place in Nova Scotia and British Columbia. CCAMU is committed to achieving our goal of stopping exploration and mining of uranium in Frontenac and Lanark Counties. We have recently released the report of the Citizens' Inquiry into the Impacts of the Uranium Cycle. "Staking our Claim on a Healthy Future" is available on-line at www.ccamu.ca . We have sent a personal copy to your Ministry office. This report reflects the facts, issues and concerns about the uranium cycle as expressed by the people who participated in the Inquiry, and makes key recommendations which should be very helpful to your government in addressing these complex but vital matters. We will welcome the opportunity to meet with you as soon as possible, to discuss the Inquiry report, provide more information, and work toward a positive resolution to these issues which have such serious impact on our community and other Ontarians. We are also writing to your colleagues and Ministers with the same information. We ask you to commit to a scheduled meeting with us by the end of August to pursue these matters. Sincerely,
3) FAMU'S URANIUM WALKS CONTINUE The Folks Against Mining Uranium (FAMU) continue to hold their Perth Uranium Walks the last Saturday of every month. Come out, show your support and help raise public awareness! The fight is not over. For more information contact Willa at willa_is@hotmail.com. 4) ARCHIVED STATEMENT FROM THE SHABOT OBAADJIWAN FIRST NATION The following press release was sent out by the Uranium News on July 22, 2008,
Shabot Obaadjiwan Traditional Territory July 19, 2008 The Shabot Obaadjiwan have welcomed the announcement from Premier McGuinty on July 14, 2008 to protect the Boreal Forest. This announcement includes a commitment to review the Mining Act and pursue discussions around resource revenue sharing, consultation and accommodation, and land use planning. Chief Davis noted, "Mining and climate change are having serious impacts on our capacity to sustain our culture which depends on a healthy environment. The pledge to support resource revenue sharing and to provide capacity to First Nation communities to participate in land use planning will aid us in addressing our environmental concerns." "It is easy to criticize and grandstand. It is a lot tougher to do the serious work that leads to progress", said Chief Davis. "The announcement last week is yet another confirmation of the wisdom of the approach we have adopted and the value of our ongoing discussions with the Province of Ontario." The Shabot are also looking to the federal government to step up its efforts to respect Aboriginal rights and address climate change. Chief Davis stated, "We hope the federal government will join Ontario and us in constructive dialogue to reconcile our respective rights."
Reprinted with permission from Helen Forsey. "Uranium". In rural communities across Canada targeted for uranium exploration, the word is no longer just the name of a mineral. It now represents a clash of threats and promises, fears and ambitions, which can divide neighbours, unite strangers and shape our entire future - one way or another. In my part of Eastern Ontario, we've been learning this the hard way. Our lessons started in late 2006, when Frank and Gloria Morrison discovered that their land was being prospected for uranium (see Donna Smyth's article in RD, April 2007.) A company called Frontenac Ventures had staked some 30,000 acres of forests and wetlands upstream from Ottawa, most of it Algonquin First Nations territory claimed by the government as "Crown land". Nobody knew what was happening until after the claims were staked. Neither the private landholders nor the Algonquin people had been notified, let alone consulted, even though the whole area is the subject of ongoing land claim negotiations with the Ontario and Canadian governments. Once word was out, community concern grew over the dangers uranium poses to human health and the environment. Meetings were held between Algonquins and their "settler" neighbours, research was done, letters written, questions raised. What kind of damage would drilling and bulk sampling cause? Would surface and groundwater be contaminated with radioactivity? Weren't there striking increases in cancer and birth defects associated with uranium development? Economically, could a sprawling open-pit mine provide enough local jobs to offset the permanent loss of forestry and tourism? Wouldn't a mine be closed in ten or fifteen years anyway, while the tailings left behind would make the Ottawa Valley radioactive for hundreds of centuries? Some of the answers came to us from Nova Scotia, thanks to the Rural Delivery connection. Donna Smyth, who had covered the province's struggle for a uranium moratorium a generation ago, contacted the Morrisons and sent them a treasure trove of material. The pamphlet "Uranium Mining: Is it Worth the Risk?", by the Hants County citizens' group, was distributed at an early community meeting, and soon the 200-page report of Judge Robert McCleave's Inquiry was also making the rounds. As the alarming facts emerged about the risks and costs to our communities, more people got involved. Meanwhile, the company was going ahead regardless. They set up an exploration camp at Robertsville, a quiet crossroads with the only feasible truck access to most of the staked land. They engaged a local contractor for road-building and excavation, and hired students for the summer. Local uranium exploration looked like a done deal. But it wasn't. On June 28th, 2007, the Ardoch and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations peacefully occupied the Robertsville camp. Headquartered in a donated construction trailer behind the gate, they patrolled the site and pressed the government to negotiate. "We are bound by our traditional laws which demand a high standard of care for the land," the Algonquin leaders wrote to the Premier. "Uranium exploration threatens the land, and thus our health, well-being and cultural survival. We are seeking an immediate moratorium on uranium exploration in our territory." The non-violent occupation was immediately supported by hundreds of non-Algonquins from the local area and beyond, who brought food and supplies, scrounged equipment, and raised funds. They formed the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU) and built an effective communications and quick response network. Soon the protest was spreading from its rural epicentre to include rallies, lobbying and media coverage in the region's towns and cities. Frustrated, Frontenac Ventures launched a $77-million lawsuit against the protesters and got an interim injunction ordering everyone away from the site. The Algonquins remained steadfast. Settler support mushroomed, and an entire tent village went up outside the gate. Gloria Morrison had called it a David and Goliath story, and people were rallying to "David's" side. Of course, the company had its supporters as well. A few local people lost contracts or job opportunities, while others simply felt the protesters were scare-mongering. They saw nothing wrong with exploration. Many still insist they don't want an actual mine. "But it'll never come to that," they say. "The company will make some money on the stock market and be gone." That's a tempting theory, but it means you have to ignore facts. High uranium prices, new extraction technology and the fraudulent promotion of nuclear power as a solution to climate change - all this makes the threat of a mine very real. Staking and exploration are the thin edge of that wedge. By the end of September, neither side in the Robertsville stand-off had budged, and company lawyers got aggressive. They persuaded a judge to issue a second injunction and charge the protesters with contempt of court for defying the earlier order. With evidence implicating at least 50 people, both settlers and Algonquins, the number charged was negotiated down to eight, among them the five First Nations leaders who volunteered to take the rap for everyone. Trial dates were set - and the protest continued. One of the settlers recalled those months at the site. "Sitting around the fire with our Algonquin friends, we listened to stories that sparkled with humour and wisdom. And the discussions! The whole camp functioned as a sort of ongoing workshop where we debated protest strategies, pored over maps and court orders, shared information on nuclear power, or followed up from the latest meeting." Finally in October the government agreed to enter mediation, and the Algonquins moved their camp out from behind the gate to the road allowance nearby. As the cold set in and the talks began, protesters maintained a watchful round-the-clock presence in the relocated trailer and a rustic cabin they built in three days. Frontenac Ventures now came and went through the gate, doing "non-intrusive" preparatory work allowed under the terms of the mediation. But tensions began to mount soon after New Years. As the end of the twelve-week mediation period approached, the parties were discussing an Algonquin proposal for a consultation "pilot project" that could have led to a solution. Then, suddenly, the Ontario government pulled the rug out from under them by insisting that drilling must go ahead anyway. Ardoch and Shabot quit the talks and resumed their non-violent protest outside the gate. That was how things stood in mid-February when the trials began on the contempt charges. In a shocking display of official power, the court imposed heavy fines and rigid restrictions on the Algonquin leadership, and sent Ardoch spokesperson Bob Lovelace to jail for six months. The roadside camp was ordered dismantled, the trailer and cabin dug out of the snow and hauled away, and protesters prohibited from being within 200 metres of the gate. Anyone disobeying would now face charges of not just civil, but criminal contempt. "The protesters may win in the court of public opinion," a company representative had told the local paper early on, "but we'll win in the court of law." For the moment it seemed he was right. But that was - and is - far from the end of the story. Media interest, which had flagged over the months of peaceful protest, was rekindled by the court's draconian measures. From his prison cell, Bob Lovelace continued his eloquent defence of the Algonquin obligation to protect the Earth, drawing support from Amnesty International, churches, organizations and individuals across the country. At the site, Mother Nature, seeing her human defenders temporarily out of commission, stepped in herself to forestall the drilling with record snowfalls and a massive spring melt to prolong the delay. Meanwhile, the considerable energy of the protest camp has been freed up for other aspects of the fight. The meetings, rallies, speakers' tours and political lobbying that characterized the fall and winter have continued. Nineteen Eastern Ontario municipalities have passed resolutions formally asking the Province for a moratorium on uranium exploration and mining, and the movement continues to spread. CCAMU's "Citizens' Inquiry" in April gathered a wealth of information - personal, scientific and political - now being shaped into an action-oriented report. www.ccamu.ca has become one of the most visited uranium-related websites, providing up-to-date information not only about what's happening in Algonquin territory but also about parallel struggles - in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and wherever else global corporations see rock to be drilled. In late May, protesters celebrated an Ontario Court of Appeal decision to release Bob Lovelace from prison and "stay" the fines. Soon afterwards, all remaining charges were dropped, but the injunction remains in place and the company's 77-million-dollar lawsuit is still pending. While working towards negotiations, Shabot Obaadjiwan have filed a cross-claim against the provincial and federal governments, and a group of settlers has their own class action in the works. Back at Robertsville on Sunday afternoons, people gather just outside the forbidden zone for a vigil of sharing and renewal. Despair may hover nearby, but the battle here has already shown the power of rural communities united in anger, determination and hope. That potent combination may yet succeed in keeping the uranium in the ground. -Helen Forsey is a writer and activist based in Ontario's Ottawa Valley and Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula. 6) ARTICLE: NATIVE PROTESTS AND THE LAW Editorial: Kingston Whig-Standard July 24, 2008 DID OPP COMMISSIONER JULIAN FANTINO COURT near-disaster when he threatened Mohawk activist Shawn Brant with "grave circumstances" during last summer's Aboriginal Day of Action? That's one of the burning questions coming out of revelations from Brant's preliminary hearing last August. Brant will stand trial in January for leading blockades of a CN Rail line and Highway 2 on the Tyendinaga reserve west of Kingston. To read the rest of this article go to, |