The Globe and Mail reports that “a federal cabinet decision on the fate of the Prosperity mine expected any day… Ottawa’s verdict is the last major hurdle to be cleared by Taseko Mines Ltd. after 15 years of pursuing what is believed to be one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits in Canada. …The Harper government would normally be sympathetic to a project of this nature but its own environmental review process last July found the project would significantly harm fish and grizzly bear habitats, while undermining traditional aboriginal use of lands and resources. The federal cabinet has never before overruled such a clear-cut environmental finding.”
British Columbia’s minister of mining Bill Bennett is pushing for the mine to be approved and is saying that the concerns of First Nations and environmentalists “cannot outweight the economic benefits” of the mine. BC has already approved the project. But, “Carole James, Leader of the B.C. New Democratic Party opposition, said Ottawa will trigger confrontation if it approves Prosperity. ‘I’m very concerned if the federal government goes ahead with approval of this project it will cause further divide in that community.’ She is proposing a new provincial process – a mining commission – to ensure that companies don’t waste their time with projects where there is no community consensus. The commission would hear from first nations, industry and communities and ‘look at where it makes sense to build these projects, and then expedite them, get moving on them.’ And she said a commission would have given Taseko certainty – because its proposal would have been rejected years ago. ‘This project wouldn’t have been approved, from my perspective, because of the environment concerns, because of the first nations concerns, because these issues couldn’t be mitigated, because there has been nothing but confrontation through this process.’”
Call your Member of Parliament today to tell them that you oppose the Prosperity mine and the destruction of Fish Lake. It is more critical than ever do so.
Over the past week or so we have keep you up to date on the Globe and Mail poll asking ‘Should the federal government approve the Prosperity mine?’. At this hour, more than 20,000 people have voted in this on-line poll. Keep in mind that a normal poll has a sample size usually of about 1,000 people. This poll has gone back and forth but it now stands at 58% of people saying the mine should proceed, and just 42% defending Fish Lake.
So, along with calling your MP, please vote now in this poll. You can read the full news article and vote NO by going to http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/ottawa-red-light-for-prosperity-mine-would-be-wet-blanket-on-industry/article1770959/.
