Interesting article about VALE’s Environmental Plans:
 
“The company has been criticized repeatedly for its pollution and its treatment of indigenous communities and workers. Residents of Port Colborne, Ontario, affected by the company’s nickel refinery, are currently suing the company in the largest environmental class action lawsuit in Canadian history.
Today, Vale Inco wants to dump about 400,000 tonnes of waste every year into Sandy Pond as part of a proposal to process Voisey’s Bay nickel at Long Harbour. In Kanaky-New Caledonia, the mining company wants to build a pipeline into the ocean to dispose of mine waste.
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A 2002 Canadian government decision means that natural bodies of water may be renamed as "tailings impoundment areas." This reclassification is part of the Metal and Mines Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act.
Eleven natural water bodies, many of them fish-bearing lakes, are slated to be reclassified as mine-waste disposal sites in the next year or so. Due to legislation protecting lakes and natural water bodies, the practice is not permitted in Quebec, New Brunswick, the United States and many other countries.
Canada is becoming more attractive to mining multinationals because using a lake for waste disposal is cheaper than constructing a tailings pond. Vale Inco estimated that using Sandy Pond would cost $62 million whereas constructing a tailings pond would cost $490 million.”
Click here for the full story: http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/2144

URGENT MEMO SENT ON BEHALF OF OFL President SID RYAN…
 
PLEASE URGE YOUR MEMBERS TO GO TO NEW FACEBOOK SITE ASAP
 
 
Please immediately circulate notice to your members, staff and any other organizations you are linked to advising of a NEW FACEBOOK SITE.  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=114923428525472
 
Get on there and make your comments ASAP.
 
We have a small window of time to ensure that a well-funded campaign by big pharmacies and in particular Shoppers Drug Mart and the generics does not sink an important reform meant to cut the costs of generic drugs by 50%.
 
Staff are already being threatened in London, Ontario by layoffs and reduced hours; new costs for deliveries (particularly affecting seniors and those with disabilities) have been announced by Shoppers.
 
Background and releases at www.ofl.ca. An Open Letter to Shoppers will be posted shortly.
 
In solidarity,
 
Sid