[Indigsol] Hurrah! Ottawa Council calls for uranium moratorium!

[Angela Schleihauf]

  *Ottawa council calls for uranium moratorium in eastern Ontario* *Last
Updated: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 | 2:52 PM ET * *CBC
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*

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/02/27/ot-uranium-080227.html#skip300x250



Ottawa city council is urging Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to temporarily
ban uranium prospecting, exploration and mining in eastern Ontario and the
Ottawa River watershed.

The council voted 18-1 Wednesday in favour of a motion calling for the
province to impose the moratorium immediately and to keep it in effect
until:

   - All environmental and health issues related to uranium mining are
   "resolved."
   - There are settlement plans for all related aboriginal land claims.

Council also, in the same motion, called on the province to do a public
review of its 1990 Mining Act.

The motion had been recommended by the city's community and protective
services committee after the city received a petition with 1,000 signatures
opposing uranium mining and exploration in eastern Ontario.

It had also received a call for help from the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation
near Sharbot Lake, Ont., which has been fighting uranium exploration on land
it claims as its own. The site is about 100 kilometres southwest of Ottawa.

*Councillors voice health concerns*

Before passing the motion, many councillors, including Marianne Wilkinson,
expressed concern about the potential health risks of uranium mining.

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"With a large urban centre, you've got to be very careful with how you're
exposing the radioactive materials," she said. "We certainly don't want it
getting into the Ottawa River, which is our drinking water supply."

The lone councillor who voted against the motion, Gord Hunter, argued that
the council was overstepping its jurisdiction, as mineral rights are a
provincial responsibility.

He added that he is concerned that the city has only heard from uranium
opponents and isn't getting the other side of the story.

"I'm not sure the risks are as seriously stated as were put forward," he
said.

Hunter said nuclear power using uranium as fuel is one of the "best proven
alternatives" to burning fossil fuels as a source of electricity. The
successful uranium mining industry has also attracted new residents to
areas such as Elliott Lake, Ont., and Uranium City, Sask., he said.

A community and protective services committee report on the issue noted that
under the Mining Act, licensed prospectors have a statutory right to stake
mining claims and conduct assessment work on the given properties even if
the surface rights are privately held.

The act also states that the holder of the claim doesn't need to inform the
land owner about prospecting activities until just before that activity
takes place.
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