I recently attended the Cordilleran Exploration Roundup in Vancouver, B.C., where the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) distributed inappropriate material.
As Yukon and British Columbia officials presented pro-mining views, the Federal DFO circulated inadequate and poorly documented material to justify Federal Fisheries Minister Robert Thibault’s decision to phase out the Yukon Placer Authorization. and possibly the Yukon’s placer mining industry.
Documents circulated included the following:
q A 1999 Preliminary Report by DFO researcher Ian Birtwell that states: “not to be cited without the permission of the authors” on the cover. Is this to indicate that it is not up to standard for public or peer scrutiny? Why is DFO research made available only in order to justify the DFO’s agenda?
q A 2002 memorandum to the DFO’s Whitehorse office from Dr. Michael Bradford summarizing “unpublished data,” which states: “Note that the data presented are based on preliminary analyses, and are likely subject to revision before formal publication.” Is this the kind of rigorous science the minister relied on when he decided to destroy the Yukon placer industry?
q A Jan. 24, 2003 letter to Mr. Al Kapty, chair of the Yukon Placer Committee, apparently written for Thibault. This letter does not provide adequate reasons for an onerous decision, and failed to include the final page and signature.
How can sloppy, preliminary science be used as the basis for an important government decision? This is reason for concern and alarm among professionals, like myself, working in the mining industry. The public deserves to know if the DFO is making scientific decisions, or is influenced by environmentalists with personal agendas.
It appears to be another example of an expanding and incompetent bureaucracy that is intent on shutting down industry. As long as DFO officials continue to act irresponsibly by only representing environmentalists with personal agendas, mining investment will continue to leave Canada for comparatively mining-friendly jurisdictions.
I can only assume that the minister must have political reasons for his anti-mining stance. The mining industry can adjust to intelligent decisions based on sound science, but not on unfounded bureaucratic agendas.
Peter Christopher
Consulting Geological Engineer
Vancouver, B.C.
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