Uranium and the Manipulation of Public Opinion

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - March 19, 2010) - The thirty one (31) Quebec mining industry executives who have signed this open letter, including ten (10) presidents and past presidents of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association (AEMQ) and the Quebec Mining Association (QMA), hereby reiterate their position regarding attempts to manipulate public opinion against the mining industry and the uranium industry in particular.

The signatories wish to draw the attention of Quebeckers, elected provincial, regional and municipal officials and the Quebec government to the following points:

1.  The professional geologists and engineers in the mining industry are
    citizens subject to the codes of ethics of the professional orders to
    which they belong. They are speaking here as professionals and citizens
    concerned with preserving the quality of a public debate by rejecting
    mere posturing for the media. 

2.  For months, the town of Sept-Iles has been under the influence of a
    handful of activists loudly warning the public of "the imminent building
    of a uranium mine" at Lac Kachiwiss. This campaign culminated on
    December 3, 2009, with the dramatic announcement by a group of doctors
    who had "already decided to leave the area".(1) This embellishment of
    the facts, which characterizes an exploration project as "an imminent
    uranium mine", is pure manipulation. This manoeuvre must be vigorously
    condemned. It is intended to instill doubt and fear in the largest
    possible number of citizens of good faith, including doctors. 

3.  In doing this, activists obscure the extremely stringent, restrictive
    and transparent process imposed by provincial and federal authorities on
    mining companies hoping to put a uranium deposit into production. The
    existing regulatory framework is aimed at controlling and minimizing any
    potentially negative impact on the health of workers, the local
    population, and the environment. All uranium mines currently in
    operation in Canada are certified under ISO 14001, the international
    quality standard for environmental management.(2) This information is
    carefully disregarded by the activists. 

4.  Predictably, the local issue of the Kachiwiss project is used as a
    springboard to demand "a moratorium on uranium mining and exploration"
    in Quebec.(3) In an open letter(4) published on February 17, 2010, two
    Sept-Iles doctors, accountable to their professional order, feign
    ignorance of the repeated notices from the Canadian Nuclear Safety
    Commission (CNSC), whose independence, diligence and authority cannot
    reasonably be called into question.(5)(6) In this context, the open
    letter from the two doctors comes across as a militant and biased
    statement. The concern for the principles of "precaution" and
    "prevention" that they are demanding is at the very core of the CNSC's
    mission and actions. In the document published jointly on February 10,
    2010, the AEMQ and the QMA demonstrate, point by point, that the
    activists' arguments for a moratorium are unfounded.(7) 

5.  Finally, the Kachiwiss affair and the demand for a moratorium mask the
    real environmental and health issues for Quebec society: 

--  Oil and coal are the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions (GGEs).
    Developed countries with the lowest GGEs are those with the highest
    share of nuclear energy. This has led well-known environmentalists like
    James Lovelock, one of the founders of modern environmentalism and
    inventor of the Gaia theory, and Patrick Moore and Stephen Tindale,
    former Greenpeace leaders, to modify their stance and come out in favour
    of nuclear power.(8)(9)

--  The International Energy Agency (IEA) argues in favour of reducing the
    energy industry's carbon footprint, including the development of nuclear
    power, requiring an investment of nearly US $10,500 billion over 20
    years.(10) The Copenhagen Summit also recently underscored the urgency
    of developing scenarios to counter global warming, making specific
    reference to nuclear power.  

--  Nuclear power is currently the main alternative energy source to carbon-
    based power. To reduce energy dependency and polluting emissions, US
    President Obama recently pledged $8 billion in loan guarantees to build
    new nuclear reactors.(11) This budget could rise to $54 billion in 2011.
    A number of other large countries, including China, have expressed
    similar intentions.  

--  Furthermore, the global shortage of radioactive isotopes(12), which are
    made by nuclear plants, is a reminder of the essential role played by
    radioactive markers in cancer detection (70,000 tests per day
    worldwide). 

Quebec must remain an open, innovative society, capable of making good use of its natural resources. These natural resources should be developed in accordance with the law, with scrupulous respect for the interests of its citizens and the environment. Quebec's expertise in exploration, mining, engineering and environmental management is recognized worldwide; it creates value and contributes to the quality of life for all Quebeckers. In light of this, it is essential to distinguish between the facts and propaganda.

References:

1.  Letter of resignation from Sept-Iles doctors, December 3, 2009,
    www.sisur.ca 

2.  International Organization for Standardization. ISO 14000 Essentials,
    www.iso.org 

3.  "Mieux vaut prevenir que guerir. Un moratoire sur les mines d'uranium
    est urgent et necessaire". Open Letter, Dr. Isabelle Gingras and Dr.
    Bruno Imbault, Sept-Iles, February 17, 2010. 

4.  Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Uranium Mining: The Facts on
    a Well-Regulated Industry, December 15, 2009. 

5.  Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Uranium Exploration, Mining
    and Milling: Setting the Record Straight, December 22, 2009. 

6.  The Pour que le Quebec ait meilleure mine! Coalition: "Demandons un
    moratoire sur l'exploration et l'exploitation de l'uranium au Quebec",
    Sept-Iles, May 2009. 

7.  AEMQ and QMA. "Analyse du document " Demandons un moratoire sur
    l'exploration et l'exploitation de l'uranium au Quebec ", divulgue en
    mai 2009 par la Coalition Pour que le Quebec ait meilleure mine!",
    February 10, 2010, www.aemq.org and www.amq-inc.com 

8.  Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy (EFN), www.ecolo.org 

9.  "Revirement pro-nucleaire de grands ecologistes", Jean-Pierre Bommer, Le
    Temps, 13 mai 2009. 

10.  "Pour l'AIE, le statu quo energetique met la planete sur " une
    trajectoire dangereuse "". Le Monde, November 10, 2009. 

11.  "Le monde entier s'inquiete de l'arret de la production de certains
    marqueurs radioactifs des cancers", Le Figaro, February 16, 2010. 

12.  "Obama relance le nucleaire", Economie, Radio-Canada.ca, February 17,
    2010. 

Paul Archer, Engineer, M.Sc., Vice-president Exploration, Virginia Mines Inc., Former President of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, 1997-1998

Pierre Berube, Engineer, President, Abitibi Geophysiques inc., Former President of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, 2002-2004

Guy Bourassa, Lawyer, President and CEO, Nemaska Exploration Inc.

Serge Bureau, Engineer, M.Sc., President and CEO, MDN Inc.

Robert Bryce, Engineer, Former President of the Quebec Mining Association.

Peter J. Cashin, Geologist, M.Sc., President and CEO, Quest Uranium Corporation

Philippe Cloutier, Geologist, President and CEO, Cartier Resources Inc.

Jean Descarreaux, Geologist, Ph.D., Former President of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, 1977-1978

Dominique Doucet, Engineer, President, CEO and Director, Sirios Resources Inc.

Rene Dufour, Engineer, Former President of the Canadian Institute of Mining.

Nicolas Fehrenbach, MBA, President and executive director, AREVA Quebec Inc.

Antoine Fournier, Geologist, M.Sc., President and CEO, Threegold Resources Inc.

Marco Gagnon, Geologist, M.Sc., President and CEO, Adventure Gold Inc., Former President of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, 2006-2008

Andre Gaumond, Engineer, M.Sc., President and CEO, Virginia Mines Inc., Former President of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, 1996-1997

Marie-Josee Girard, Geologist, M.Sc., President and CEO, Dios Exploration Inc.

Yves Harvey, Engineer, Ph.D., Outgoing President of the Quebec Mining Association.

Guy Hebert, B.Sc., MBA, President and CEO, Strateco Resources Inc.

Youcef Larbi, Geologist, Ph.D., Chief Geologist and CEO, Cree Mineral Exploration Board.

Michel Leclerc, Engineer, President of the Quebec Mining Association.

Jean-Marc Lulin, Geologist, Ph.D., President and CEO, Azimut Exploration Inc.

Glenn J. Mullan, Geologist, President and Chairman, Golden Valley Mines Ltd.

Francois Perron, B.Sc., M.B.A., President and CEO, Golden Goose Resources Inc.

Ghislain Poirier, Engineer, Vice-president Public Affairs, Stornoway Diamonds Corporation, President of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association.

Gerald Riverin, Geologist, Ph.D., President and CEO, Cogitore Resources Inc., Former President of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, 2004-2006

Gino Roger, Engineer, President and CEO, Midland Exploration Inc.

Sean Roosen, President and CEO, Osisko Mining Corporation.

Yves Rougerie, Geologist, B.Sc., President and CEO, Abitex Resources Inc.

Gregg Sedun, LLB, Chairman and CEO, Uracan Resources Ltd.

Claude St-Jacques, President and CEO, Societe d'Exploration Miniere Vior inc.

Jack Stoch, Geologist, B.Sc., President and CEO, Globex mining enterprises Inc.

MacKenzie Watson, Engineer, President and CEO, Freewest Resources Canada Inc.