Letter to the Editor

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Dear Editor,

The Shawn Graham government has invited uranium mining companies into the province, promising there would be no obstacles. Premier Graham has the door wide open.

Don’t worry about the people – we don’t listen to them anyway.

Don’t worry about the Opposition – we can out-vote them.

Don’t worry about regulations – we just use another province’s guidelines anyway.

Don’t worry about inspectors – we only have one.

Don’t worry about risks to health or the environment – we control the Departments of Health and Environment.

And what is there in all of this for New Brunswick? On the one hand, there may be some metallic mineral tax revenue. On the other hand, we will acquire radioactive tailing piles that will have to be monitored for thousands of years. We take on the very real risk of uranium accidents - Saskatchewan and Ontario have had many. We take on very real health risks - radon is the second largest cause of lung cancer, cell damage can cause birth defects. We take on the risk of permanently destroying watersheds.

Investors and immigrants will have to consider how close they want to be to a uranium mine.

New Brunswickers young and old, municipalities, citizen groups, and the Official Opposition have spoken very clearlythattheydonotwantorneedthis kind of mining activity in our province.

Shawn Graham’s Liberal government has chosen to ignore the people.

They have chosen to side with the uranium mining operations. In the next provincial election, the voice of the people will be heard, and this time, it will not be ignored.

Claude Williams,

MLA for Kent-South