Belanger Losing Patience with Feds Over Old Mines

Belanger Losing Patience with Feds Over Old Mines

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 14:57

Northern Affairs minister Buckley Belanger says his patience is growing thin with the federal government regarding the abandoned uranium mines file.

The provincial government released its final report yesterday into the status of over 40 abandoned mines in northern Saskatchewan.

Belanger says when Ottawa asked for the study, it was giving indications it would be a willing partner in a cost-shared arrangement to clean up those contaminated sites.

However, Belanger admits there hasn’t been any word from Ottawa ever since Industry Minister John Efford’s promising visit to the province in January.

At the time, Efford hinted that the feds might still be willing to help clean up the mine sites. He also pledged to come back a few weeks later to tour some of the sites himself.

Since then, Belanger and Environment Minister David Forbes have had a hard time even making contact with Efford — let alone scheduling a tour.

Belanger says his patience is growing thin, but adds that federal funding will be worth the wait if and when it comes.