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April 1, 1999
(Environment and Labour)


The following statement was issued today by Oliver Langdon, Minister of Environment and Labour. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I would like to take this opportunity today to inform the members of the House of Assembly that the Voisey's Bay Environmental Assessment Panel has released its much anticipated report on the proposed mine/mill complex at Voisey's Bay, Labrador.

The government welcomes the release of the panel report. This report is the result of a precedent setting process that began in January 1997 when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the federal government, the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association. From this MOU, the panel was jointly established.

The environmental assessment of the Voisey's Bay mine/mill proposal has been, to say the least, a complex task. On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, I would like to thank the individual panel members for the patience, understanding, and professionalism that they exhibited in this effort. I would also like to thank the many individuals and groups who participated in the process. While the work of the panel is now finished, ours is just beginning.

Honourable members of this House may recall that the procedure established to deal with the panel report entailed a 30 day process of review and consultation with the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association. It has since been agreed upon by the four MOU parties that given the anticipated number of recommendations and the complexity of the report, it would be reasonable to allow for a 60 day period of review and consultation. This will be a harmonized effort involving consultations with the federal government, the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association. At the end of the process, recommendations will be made to the two levels of government.

Thank you.

1999 04 01                2:20 p.m.


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