WINNIPEG - As Manitoba’s sham environmental licensing process continues to stumble along for Hudbay’s proposed Reed Mine in Grass River Provincial Park, the Wilderness Committee is calling on the Manitoba government to host a public forum on provincial park mine policy.

“The Manitoba government recently vetoed a peat mine in Hecla / Grindstone Provincial Park – because they know it is wrong to mine parks,” said Eric Reder, Campaign Director for the WIlderness Committee. “We want to see our elected representatives and government ecological experts come forward to honestly explain this assault on Grass River Provincial Park. And most importantly, we want to see mining banned in our parks – like it is in most other places around the world”.

The Wilderness Committee is calling for the government-hosted forum to include a panel of Manitoba government experts from the Mines, Wildlife, Climate Change and Water Stewardship branches, as well as the Conservation Minister, to be on hand to answer questions about the Reed Mine project and other provincial park mine policy. Previously, forums that required government representatives to publicly answer questions about a project were part of the Environmental Licensing process, but recently these open houses have involved nothing more than a room full of display boards.

Hudbay was recently found to be contacting individuals who submitted public comments to the Manitoba government opposing the Reed Mine, after their personal contact information was published on the government’s website – revealing a significant breach of privacy. Those who had written comments were invited to a private meeting about the mine, to be held by the company this week.

“The actions of this company, in searching out and contacting objectors to this mine, is unacceptable. But it is equally unacceptable for the Manitoba government to quietly authorize preliminary construction of the first provincial park mine in more than two decades without public discussion or consent. We need the Manitoba government to explain why they are still considering this project, and how it can be stopped,” said Reder.

Manitoba has an antiquated provincial park legislative system, which was written when people still believed you could protect nature and wilderness in a park while also allowing industrial developments like logging and mining. The Wilderness Committee believes it is time to rewrite the Provincial Parks Act so that it truly protects nature, wilderness, species and water.

“Mining in parks belongs in the scrap heap of history,” said Reder.