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Finally - Fish Lake makes an appearance in Question Period...

...but did the MInister for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans give up the straight goods?

Here is today's transcript:

Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP): Mr. Speaker, British Columbia's Fish Lake is well-known for its rainbow trout, but soon it may be better known for its 860 million tonnes of toxic mining waste from the proposed Prosperity mine. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has already advised against the mine because of the environmental damage it would create. Now the Conservative government is considering overriding this advice.
Will the minister do her job and protect Fish Lake?


Hon. Gail Shea (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, CPC): Mr. Speaker, our government is working to advance our response to the environmental review panel report and that reply with be forthcoming. This is a very serious issue and our response will balance the environmental, economic and social prospective of this project.


Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP): Mr. Speaker, after intensive lobbying, the B.C. government changed its mind and said it was okay to kill Fish Lake. Taseko has been lobbying the federal government since 2006. In fact, this summer the company hired four new corporate lobbyists to pressure the Conservatives to allow the lake to be killed.
Will the government reject the corporate lobbying and stand by the decision to protect Fish Lake?


Hon. Gail Shea (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, CPC): Mr. Speaker, we have received much correspondence on both sides of this very serious issue. It is important that we take the necessary time to make the right decision in the best interests of the country.

*****

Encouraging news that opposing voices are causing the Conservatives to pause on this issue.  But more importantly, as the Tsilhqot'in Government's recent news release points out, DFO has sent letters for 15 years to both the BC government and Taseko saying it can not suport the mine.   Here's hoping the ministry is not hedging now, hoping those letters are forgotten.

Posted by Susan Smitten Tuesday Sep 28, 2010 16:15
Categories: Environment , Fish Lake, RAVEN General | Tags: Aboriginal, British Columbia, donors, environment, First Nations, fund-raising, lakes, Prosperity, Taseko, Tsilhqot'in, water, Xeni Gwet'in

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