Sierra Club Responds to John Baird on Lake Dumping

(Ottawa)  Conservative candidate and Environment Minister John Baird has admitted that if elected he would pursue the environmentally devastating practice of “lake dumping”.  The practice involves allowing mining companies to circumvent environmental protections and use lakes as toxic dumps for mines. Baird made the statement during an all-candidates debate in his riding of Ottawa West – Nepean last night.

“Lake dumping is an environmentally atrocious practice,” said Jean Langlois, National Campaigns Director for Sierra Club of Canada, adding that the practice amounts to a subsidy to mining companies at the expense of Canada’s natural waterways.

The practice, by which the federal government condemns natural lakes for toxic dumping by granting exemptions to the environmental protections of the Fisheries Act, was introduced by the previous Liberal government and continued by the Conservative government.

When asked whether he would change the practice, Baird replied:  "I'm not going to promise to change something I know we're not going to change."

“We knew that Mr. Baird and his party believe in treating the atmosphere as a free dumping ground for greenhouse gas pollution,” Langlois concludes, “now we know they believe Canada’s natural waterways should be free dumps for mining companies.”


For more information, contact:
Jean Langlois, National Campaigns Director, 613-241-4611 x.230