QIA denies delaying Mary River environmental review

In your April 4, 2012 story “QIA wants more consultation on Nunavut’s Mary River mine project” you suggest the Qikiqtani Inuit Association is trying to delay the approvals process by adding another consultation process. This is an inaccurate view of what we are doing.

In fact, QIA did not request that more consultation take place in the Nunavut Impact Review Board process.

QIA’s letter to NIRB simply highlighted that if specific technical issues cannot be resolved at the April 30 Technical Meeting, it may be necessary to hold additional technical sessions to resolve particular issues.

QIA hopes additional technical meetings will not be required and looks forward to working with Baffinland to resolve outstanding topics.

QIA is not in favour of adding time to the review process. However it is up to the proponent to provide adequate responses to the information requests that have been submitted.

QIA is focused on representing the best interests of beneficiaries. That includes making sure accurate information about the current status of the project is reported to the public.

We encourage people with an interest in the project to please visit NIRB’s website (www.nirb.ca) and review the documents for themselves.

Navarana Beveridge,
Executive Director
Qikiqtani Inuit Association

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