Northern Daily News
Thursday, January 10, 2002
Letter to the Editor
 
To the editor:
 
Public Concern Temiskaming has recently circulated two versions of their
brochure to the general public of Kirkland Lake and surrounding areas.
 
The brochure contains enough facts to appear legitimate.
 
However, several points of information that, when taken out of context,
are very misleading.
 
For example, the full text of one passage taken out of context should
read: "Although facility-related health risk estimates were considered
to have been derived using a conservative approach, much uncertainty
surrounding the modelling process used to predict future Gull Lake water
and sediment concentrations exist and therefore data should be collected
in the future to minimize the uncertainty associated with future fish
concentrations."
 
The italicized portion of the statement is what appears in the brochure.
 
Clearly, the consultant is recommending collection of water, sediment
and fish tissue data to reduce the uncertainty of the modelling process.
 
We expect the Ministry of the Environment would require this kind of
ongoing data collection, and certainly Bennett would undertake to do so.
 
I am confident that the people of Kirkland Lake are smart enough to see
through fear-mongering tactics when they see it.
 
Danny Ponn Oakville