Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 04/99) - The only way for Giant Mine to have any kind of future is for the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs to accept responsibility for the arsenic clean-up, according to community and corporate business people.

Community and business representatives, including four Yellowknife MLAs, the mayor, environmental protection, and the Deton'cho Corporation met Tuesday to discuss what to do about Giant Mine's 260,000 tonnes of stored arsenic.

"The consensus is that we have to push DIAND to take responsibility for the arsenic clean-up," Yellowknife Centre MLA Jake Ootes said.

"We are under the understanding that there are several interested mine operators looking at Giant, but DIAND must address their responsibilities," Ootes said. "If the mine shuts down prematurely, that will have tremendous implications for everyone, including DIAND."

Yellowknife Mayor Dave Lovell said he'll be fighting to ensure the issue isn't bogged down in working groups and long studies.

"As far as the arsenic goes, we all agreed we're absolutely committed to a comprehensive clean-up," Lovell said.

"We're not going to let someone study the problem for a decade. We have to have an action plan prepared right away that has a definitive time frame outlined for full reclamation," the mayor said. "I think two years would be enough time to implement such a proposal."

Lovell has already expressed his support in a Deton'cho Corporation plan to clean up the mine.

Yellowknife North MLA Roy Erasmus said DIAND Minister Jane Stewart has a copy of the Deton'cho proposal to clean up Giant Mine, and that it's up to her to move on it.

"This proposal is workable and keeps benefits from the clean-up in the hands of the landowners -- the people who live here and have a vested interest. The federal government now needs to accept responsibility and get it moving," Erasmus said.

"The land is 100 per cent owned by the Yellowknives Dene so they have a vested interest in ensuring the area is cleaned up to a level that is non-threatening to human life."

Deton'cho Corporation program supervisor Blake Rasmussen said he came away from the meeting with the understanding that everyone at the table is going to keep the pressure on DIAND.

"One thing we know for sure is that the arsenic is a serious potential environmental disaster. In our opinion, it's not relevant if the clean-up starts now or when the mine shuts down. Really, it's something that should have started years ago," Rasmussen said.

"What we said is that whatever scenario is thrown at us, we'll keep Northern employees and firms directly involved. We don't want to see reclamation jobs taken out of the North."