Fort Franklin (Mar 10/03) - After 60 years of uncertainty, the community of Deline has inked a deal with Ottawa to investigate the effects radioactive tailings from the defunct Port Radium mine may have had on the people and environment.

Robert Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Deline Chief Raymond Tutcho signed a three-year $6.7 million action plan Feb. 26, hoping to shed light on further clean-up and monitoring requirements and future community health needs.

The action plan is the culmination of two years of work by the Canada-Deline Uranium Table, comprised of representatives from DIAND and Deline. The group was established in October 1999.

"The Canada-Deline partnership has made very good progress in setting up and implementing a program of work that is already beginning to help answer the many questions and concerns of the people of Deline," said Nault in a statement made in Ottawa.

Radioactive material was dumped in and around the shores of Great Bear Lake during the 1930s and 1940s while Port Radium's Eldorado mine was in full production.

The Canadian government sold uranium collected from the mine to the U.S. government to build the first atomic bombs ever made.

"We want to try and determine whether or not the contaminants on the site are affecting the wildlife, vegetation and the people," said Danny Gaudet, a member of the Deline uranium team.

The Eldorado mine was located near Cameron Bay on the eastern shore of Great Bear Lake. Deline lies 260 kilometres across the lake on the southwestern shore.