Innu call for moratorium on uranium exploration and mining

Press Release
For Immediate Release

THE INNU OF UASHAT MAK MANI‐UTENAM CALL FOR A MORATORIUM ON
URANIUM EXPLORATION AND MINING

Uashat , Nitassinan – August 17 2010 – Speaking for his nation, Chief Georges‐Ernest
Grégoire of the Innu of Uashat mak Mani‐Utenam is calling on the Government of Québec to
declare an immediate moratorium on uranium exploration and mining throughout Quebec.
The statement is being made in support of the actions being taken by the grassroots
organization Sept‐Iles Sans Uranium in Quebec City this week.
According to Chief Grégoire, “a moratorium is necessary as the long term consequences of
these activities on the environment, wildlife, and human health have not been evaluated
and are not clearly understood.”
The exploitation of uranium for the production of energy should be the subject of a serious
debate. For the Innu it is not at all clear that the Québec population wants to go down this
path.
The Chief of the Innu of Uashat mak Mani‐Utenam noted that several uranium exploration
projects are found within their traditional territory and that all of these projects, as with all
other authorisations by the Québec Government, require the free prior and informed
consent of the Innu.
The Chief also noted that these projects have significant impacts on the Innu traditional
rights to use, occupy and control their territory. “We live in our territory, we hunt and we
fish there. What will come of our heritage and traditions if Québec promotes this kind of
development? It will be impossible for us to live from the fish and game of Nitassinan as they
will be contaminated if not completely lost forever. It’s inconceivable and totally
unacceptable to the Innu” declared Chief Grégoire.
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Source :
Kateri C. Jourdain
Director of Communications ‐ITUM
Kateri.jourdain@itum.qc.ca
418‐961‐8586