APTN National News
The resources held deep beneath what is commonly known as the Ring of Fire is well known.
For one, the mining industry believes northern Ontario has one of the largest deposits of chromite in the world.
But getting a billion dollars worth of resources hasn’t been easy.
Now the federal government is hoping to move things along.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has appointed Minister Tony Clement, president of the Treasury Board, to bring First Nations, industry and the province of Ontario together.
Clement joined APTN National News in Ottawa last week.
Environment Canada
said in the letter it expects hexavalent chromium “will likely be
released” into the area due to the mining activity and it may have
“immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment . . . or may
constitute a danger to human life or health.”
Chromium-6 is a
priority substance regulated by the Canadian Environmental Protection
Act. It was the industrial pollutant in the drinking water that was
linked to illness in Hinkley, Calif., and unearthed in the 1990s by
Brockovich, a crusading law clerk.
The Atlanta-based U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also considers chromium-6 to
be a potential carcinogen. Occupational exposure is associated with
lung, nasal and sinus cancers.
this is the dangers is the money worth it?
Economic development is important and everyone should be on the same page as to what should occur with any development. But building a house on an unstable foundation is not logical. Before getting everyone to agree on whatever project, the basics should be addressed. Not all First Nations treat everyone equal. The fact is, in some First Nations, equal pay for equal work does not exist, the right to work without being bullied or harrassed does not exist, and saddley, in some places, mental, spiritual and financial abuse is the norm that some workers have to endure or be fired. All chief and councils should be aware that the money they have to operate the community is not theirs to barter, bribe or threaten with. Ignoring the fact that we don’t all treat eachother well in all of our communities will not make it go away, it will only make it worse. Treating eachother and Mother Earth as we would want to be treated is something that the Aboriginal community needs to work on. Some people may be to scared to go against the status quo, hopefully they will find the strenght to speak out. And hopefully, the Prime Minister will somehow step in and ensure that all people in a First Nation feel like they can be heard without being retaliated against within their community. Working on this will not make the billions in resources dissappear, will not make the companies that want to profit from our territories lose interest, it will only strengthen the foundation that these things need to be built on.
Harper can’t bring anybody together!