June 23 will be remembered as an historic day for the citizens of
New Brunswick and perhaps of the world. NBASGA held a press conference
at the Capital Theatre in Moncton to announce that it has filed a
Statement of Claim in the Court of Queen's Bench in Saint John against
the Government of New Brunswick.
The link to the full text of the NBASGA Statement of Claim and also located in the "INTERESTING RESOURCES" sidebar on the right.
Rather than repeat what was said at the press conference, I am inserting the comments made by Roy Ries, president of NBASGA.
"Good morning everyone, and welcome to a historic day for the people of New Brunswick.
Earlier
this morning, NBASGA formally filed a Statement of Claim against the
Province of New Brunswick in Court of Queens’ Bench.
We
are asking the courts to place a moratorium on the development of
unconventional shale gas and oil in our province until such time as
long-term, population-based scientific studies demonstrate that it can
be done safely.
The three plaintiffs acting for NBASGA in this action are Roy Ries, Jim Emberger, and Carol Ring.
NBASGA did not take the decision to launch court action lightly, but we were given no choice.
For
more than three years, we have been desperately trying to get the
provincial government to listen to the independent scientists and
doctors sounding the alarm about this industry.
And we have documented the massive opposition to such development by the people affected.
Nothing has worked.
Four years ago the Alward government’s decision to develop shale gas was announced as a fait accompli.
Since
then, it has ignored and dismissed out of hand the growing mountain of
scientific evidence about the threat posed by the industry.
In
short, our choice was between turning a blind eye to life-threatening
activities authorized by the provincial government or doing our utmost
to protect the lives of people here today and our children and
grandchildren tomorrow.
Well,
that’s no choice at all, and, after four years of trying every peaceful
means possible to communicate the dangers of this industry to the
government, we find ourselves here today.
There
is simply no way to develop shale gas in New Brunswick using current
technologies without needlessly jeopardizing people’s lives.
NBASGA
will provide the Court with the independent, peer-reviewed scientific
studies and research documenting the potentially catastrophic threat to
human life and the environment posed by developing unconventional shale
gas and oil deposits.
We
will document the damage to health and the many illnesses associated
with the industry, including cancer in adults and congenital heart
defects and low birth weights for babies born near shale gas wells.
We
will also document the life-threatening contamination of air, water,
and land associated with the development of shale gas using current
technologies.
Our
water, air and land are the sources of life on the planet. We will
document that the unconventional oil and gas industry is also a threat
to the very planet itself through its acceleration of climate change.
The
notion that we should sacrifice the very water, air and land needed to
sustain life itself in order to create a few short-term, unsustainable
jobs is madness.
NBASGA cannot stand idly by while the very font of life that sustains us all is threatened with destruction.
We
have been referring to our legal action as ‘The Science Suit,’ and that
is a very succinct summary of NBASGA’s approach: we will be asking the
court to make its decision on the basis of science.
To
date, the scientific studies that have been done show that the
activities, processes and technologies used by the shale gas industry
are so dangerous that they violate the constitutional right of all New
Brunswickers – indeed all Canadians – to security of the person
guaranteed by Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
I
note that the security of the person protected by Section 7 of the
Charter includes the right of all Canadians to health and to clean
drinking water.
It
is our position that the Government of New Brunswick cannot legally
take decisions that needlessly threaten the life and health of its
citizens by allowing the water they depend on to drink or the air they
depend on to breathe to be so polluted as to be incapable of sustaining
life.
A new day is dawning in New Brunswick.
A
new day where the protection of our families, our neighbors and our
communities is more important than private, partisan agendas.
We
all share a moral obligation to do our utmost to ensure that
generations not-yet-born will also have clean air to breathe and fresh
water to drink.
The air, water and land that sustain all life are a common heritage that every generation holds in trust for future generations.
The heritage of life that our air, land and water represent for all generations is not ours to despoil and ruin.
We
welcome your questions. Ms. Melanson and Mr. Emberger will respond to
questions regarding the scientific evidence – in either French or
English. And any questions you have regarding legal aspects will be
answered by Mr. Kowalchuk [NBASGA legal representation}."
Roy Ries
NBASGA, President
NBASGA realizes that this will be a long struggle. You can be part of that struggle by supporting the NB Water First Legal Fund that has made this action possible. You can make a PayPal donation, no matter how small or large, by going to www.knowshalegasnb.ca or by mailing your donations to NB Water First Inc., PO Box 4526, Rothesay NB E2E 1A0. Together we can be heard.
For further information concerning the work being done by the New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance, we invite you to our website at www.NoShaleGasNB.ca
Roy Ries
NBASGA, President
NBASGA realizes that this will be a long struggle. You can be part of that struggle by supporting the NB Water First Legal Fund that has made this action possible. You can make a PayPal donation, no matter how small or large, by going to www.knowshalegasnb.ca or by mailing your donations to NB Water First Inc., PO Box 4526, Rothesay NB E2E 1A0. Together we can be heard.
For further information concerning the work being done by the New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance, we invite you to our website at www.NoShaleGasNB.ca
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