Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
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ONTARIO, CANADA - A crowd of nearly 300 people were on hand today at a hockey arena in Northeastern Ontario to declare war on a PCB import and burning plan. Bennett Environmental is looking to set up a toxic incinerator in this region to burn PCB and dioxin-contaminated waste from across North America.

Dr. Paul Connett, an international expert in dioxins and PCBs, spoke to the keynote theme – kicking off a national campaign "Respect the North" to raise awareness against the Bennett proposal.

"This is not a local issue," Dr. Connett told the crowd. "This is not a regional issue or even a national issue. Your fight is of international importance. What you do to stop the importing and burning of toxic waste from the U.S. and Mexico must be known by people all across the continent."

By far the biggest impact from the event came from the appearance by Grand Chief Carol McBride of the Algonquin Nation Secretariat. Grand Chief McBride was given a standing ovation and was joined by Chief Daniel Chief of Timiskaming First Nation and an honour guard of native drummers.

"Over the last century and a half, our people have lost too much," Grand Chief McBride told the crowd." We are not willing to risk losing any more. The Algonquin Nation will protect its legal interests as defined by Supreme Court law. We have aboriginal title to this land. It cannot be infringed upon. This project will never go ahead."

Organizer Terry Graves says the national campaign, complete with bumper stickers, t-shirts and a full time office staff of volunteers has already had an impact. He points out that in the last week, the stand taken by 34 local doctors against the incinerator (and the subsequent attacks on these doctors by the pro-waste Kirkland Lake council) was the subject of two different radio shows in Manitoba.

Graves says that over the next two weeks the campaign against Bennett will physically move beyond the confines of the Temiskaming region.