Cherise Udell with daughters Sophia and Ella. Udell will be speaking at two events in Kamloops over the next week.
Image Credit: SOURCE/Moms Clean Air Force
March 07, 2013 - 5:20 PM
By Jennifer Stahn
Kamloops Moms for Clean Air has launched intense offensive action against the proposed Ajax mine with two separate events planned to engage the public and discuss the potential pitfalls of having an open pit mine directly on the outskirts of town.
The events - both public discussions – come on the heels of a speech by Pierre Gratton, head of Canada's mining association. During the sessions he compared Kamloops to Sudbury and suggested locals look to the other city as a way to embrace it's role as a mining centre. Gratton spoke at a public lecture at TRU in February where he addressed the big picture of mining and how it can help a city transform with an increased global reach.
The recently formed Kamloops Moms for Clean Air have joined groups such as Kamloops Area Preservation Association (KAPA) in putting out a call to area residents to question whether a mine belongs on the outskirts of Kamloops. The group is hosting an activist from Utah, Cherise Udell, for events on Sunday and Tuesday as well as Dr. Brian Moench – also of Utah – for the public talk on Sunday that will be moderated by Mel Rothenburger.
Sunday's event will take place at 2 p.m. at the Interior Savings Centre and will focus on the link between resource development and human health while Tuesday's event will be at the Hal Rogers Centre at McGowan Park at 12:15 and will focus on effective strategies for community change. More information on both events can be found on Facebook by searching for the Kamloops Moms for Clean Air page.
Another activist will also speak Sunday about the impact of mining operations in El Salvador and the need to ban metallic mining over environmental and water concerns. Hosted by the Council for Canadians Vidalina Morales de Gamez will speak alongside two local speakers at noon at the Smorgasbord Deli on Seventh Avenue on Sunday, March 10.
To contact the reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 819-3723.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013