Updated below with link to the letter I faxed June 21, 2008....My fellow Canadian blogger over at Unstuffed posted about this today, and I am so mad I could scream! The Harper government has quietly been making Canadian lakes into tailing 'ponds' for mining operations, thereby saving the mining companies from building their own containment 'ponds.' The government just re-classifies the lake into a non-lake, with the stroke of a pen, and suddenly toxic heavy metal sludge is being poured into Canadian lakes from coast to coast to coast.
How DARE the government take a living, breathing ecosystem and kill it so the mining companies can save some money! The toxins will seep into the ground water and be consumed by humans and by the animals that drink the surface water. Humans and animals and plants alike will all be poisoned in the name of bigger profits for mining corporations and bigger corporate donations to the Conservative Party of Canada.
We can't just sit around and take this garbage anymore people! Clean water supplies are not unlimited. Clean water is a human right and part of the public commons, and we are allowing it to be poisoned! All the better for the private water companies to come in later and sell us back what should never have been taken and sullied in the first place. And how good is a job in a mine in your home town when you can't drink the water in your home town because the whole watershed's been contaminated? And you can't just boil the water to make it safe again.
Please, if you live anywhere a Canadian river flows in or out of, call or write your elected officials and let them know that this is absolutely unacceptable, a crime against nature and every living thing. You can get a start on your letter here. Canadians, don't let this one go - pick up your pen and write! It just doesn't get any more basic than water. When will we ever learn.
I am so embarrassed to have this government represent Canadians to the world - it is absolutely sickening. Come on Mr. Dion, bring this government down already!
Picture of lake downstream from one about to be toxified courtesy the above-noted CBC article.
Update: to see the letter I just faxed to the Fisheries and Environment Ministers, click here
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12 comments:
Thanks for posting this, it is worse than sickening what is happening to our planet everywhere. I think we need to protest loudly, in every way possible, take to the streets and make everyone aware of this insanity!
arghhhh Harper! Thanks for posting this, even though it's upsetting as hell. How can people be so stupid and evil for the sake of money, craziness!
Maybe the public could reclassify the PM's house as a landfill and ditch their rubbish there?
Hey, it's a stunt that'd get you on telly :)
Arg!!! I am still fuming! I just can't believe how unbelievably stupid this is - how they can say this out loud without gagging! Good idea GWAG - I may have to at least incorporate that idea into my letter!
I'll be writing, Theresa. Thanks for the links.
~ Liz
Thanks Liz;
With the letter template and fax numbers provided by Mine Watch it was really easy to just add in some of my points and concerns and fax it off. I just sent off three copies about half an hour ago. It felt good.
Alright, I've sat back too many times reading your letters and wishing I had the time/gumption to follow suit. But THIS issue has finally motivated me. I, too, heard about this on CBC and was disgusted by it. I hereby make a commitment in the blogosphere to draft a letter and send it!
Good for you RA! It just doesn't get any more important than water!
This was actually the easiest and fastest letter for me, because the Mine Watch people had quite a nice template to follow. I personalized it a bit, and then just decided to fax it instead of mail it this time. More timely that way, and still signed and on a piece of paper at the receiving end.
Thanks Theresa, for stopping by La Marguerite and for your comments. I am glad you are taking matters in your own hands.
http://lamarguerite.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/oil-addicts-growing-more-desperate/
Hi PTMT,
I caught your post about Canadian lakes being turned into dumps and I
thought I'd drop you a line. My name is Thom Duggan and I'm one of the many Canadians working to end this backward plan. So, I just wanted to say hi and thank you, for one.
One of the ways we're going to be trying to keep Canadians involved
and informed on this issue is though the blogging circles in Canada.
I'd like it if you'd agree to join our "blogcorps". It's mostly just a
special list that we'd keep of bloggers, like yourself, who would like updates and alerts about the issue from time to time (no
coverage-obligation, of course). Some bloggers have signaled that they want to get involved more deeply in the campaign, and that's great too.
If you'd like some background information even now on the issue, I can send you a few things. Or if you'd like to get in touch with someone from the campaign, either nationally or in your general area, we'll be able to do that stuff, too (we have a webpage coming soon that will bring local citizens, bloggers, scientists, and activists together...more on that later).
We've been blown away by the response online; thanks for being a part of that. Would you like to receive updates from us on this in the future?
Thom Duggan
Coalition to Stop Lake Dumping
thom.duggan [at] gmail
You think you're embarrassed about your government?! I tell people I'm from Canada when I travel.
You might also want to know, or maybe not, or maybe you do already know, about the huge salmon farming operations that are increasing on the west coast of Canada. I read about them this week in Bottomfeeder, written by a Canadian. The farms are primarily owned by Norwegian companies that have come to Canada as they've polluted their own shores and destroyed their own natural runs of salmon. It's crazy. Actually that's putting it nicely.
Damn, I know the feeling, guys! I'm from Campania, Italy, and we face the issue of toxic dumps every single day... But this is totally nonsense! Reclassifying a lake as a toxic dump is unbelievable!
Tell me what to do, I'll spread the voice around. We need to unite throughout the whole world, for this mess happens everywhere!
Bring people to the street, protest in mass! We'll support you from here in whichever way we can!
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