Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have had a long history of mining in our country. In most parts the mining companies have cleaned their sites, leaving little or no harmful products behind. I do, however, know of one mining site, a short distance from Rae, that has taken over three decades to get cleaned. This mine is the Rae Rock Mine. In the late 1950s and early 1960s this mine operated. Of course in those days there was little known about the contaminates and effect they have on people and wildlife that go near. Since the closure of this mine, there have been many residents that have passed on due to cancer, which some say is a direct result of these people working at the uranium mine at Rae Rock.

Studies were made, but no clear identifier showed that this was the case. Over the years, my people have lobbied strong and hard to get the company or the government to clean the site and finally, within the last couple of years this mine site has been cleaned. This of course is good, however, how many people and wildlife have died over the years as a result of tailing ponds being unprotected, which allowed animals to drink from there.

Now today we have another mine that may be on the verge of closing, that being the Colomac Mine operated by Royal Oak. My concern, as well as a number of my constituents, is that if this mine closes what will become of the tailings ponds. How can we assure my people that no harm will come from hunting caribou that have travelled past this site and have eaten and watered from this area?

It is my hope that we do not have to wait another 30 years for any and all dangerous goods to be cleaned from this site. The clean up must take place, as part of the parcel of this mine shut down and our government must monitor and ensure that this takes place. At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister responsible regarding this important issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.