The recently published letter by David Lovell, mayor of Yellowknife, N.W.T. (T.N.M., March 20-26/00), demonstrates a lack of understanding both of environmental regulations and the Diavik review process.
Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND), Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Natural Resources Canada are responsible for ensuring that all mitigation measures are identified in the comprehensive study report, including assurances that an environmental agreement is in place before the project is allowed to proceed.
As the environmental agreement captures mitigation requirements not contained elsewhere, it would have been inappropriate to allow work under the land use permit to go ahead without this important agreement.
Blaming DIAND for delays is a simplistic response. We would assume that Mr. Lovell, as mayor of Yellowknife, understands that the environmental agreement was negotiated with many different players. By attacking this process and suggesting that environmental concerns were simply a card to be played, Mayor Lovell displays contempt for the interests of northerners and their desire to see the land protected and preserved for future generations.
DIAND has learned from the past. Like other resource management agencies across Canada, it has taken the hard line that there should be no public liability as a result of new mines. Toward this end, with the help of our aboriginal partners and the company, we completed an environmental agreement that ensures that no burden is placed on the taxpayers of Canada for abandonment, reclamation or other liabilities.
The agreement was finalized once all parties were satisfied that the commitments in the comprehensive study report had been met. As promised, immediately following the signing, DIAND issued a land-use permit to Diavik.
I hope if there is one thing we can agree on, it is that economic development and environmental stewardship in the North should reflect the priorities of all northerners. From the outset, the environmental assessment process for the Diavik diamond project was designed with the input of stakeholders, including the city of Yellowknife.
Part IV of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA) has now been proclaimed and we are moving into a co-ordinated environmental management system. The act ensures that northerners, particularly aboriginal peoples, have key decision-making roles in resource management. Industry representatives have also lent their support to MVRMA.
Completing this “made in the North” system is part of our long-term goal of creating an attractive and stable climate for investment in the Northwest Territories.
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