CPAWS Yukon appalled by leaked Yukon Government response to Fracking Committee report

Whitehorse – CPAWS Yukon is appalled by the leaked response of Yukon Government to the January 19, 2015 Final Report of the Select Committee on the Risks and Benefits of Hydraulic Fracturing. The committee’s final report makes a convincing case that fracking cannot be done safely and that the Yukon public is strongly opposed to its implementation.

The twenty-one recommendations that make up the body of the work together constitute a de facto moratorium on fracking in Yukon, but the leaked documents clearly indicate Yukon Government’s plans to pursue the practice in the territory.

“The Yukon Government has chosen to flagrantly disregard the findings of their own committee,” says Gill Cracknell, Executive Director of CPAWS Yukon,” while also ignoring the wishes of the Yukon public and unanimous opposition by Yukon First Nations.” She adds, “It’s simply shameful.”

“Particularly frustrating is the dismissive attitude towards the Yukon public that is evident in the documents,” says CPAWS Conservation Campaigner, Amber Church, pointing towards the portion of the leaked documents that states: ‘most people cannot evaluate the merits of the conflicting information.’ 

Church says, “Yukoners have worked hard to educate themselves about the practice of fracking, and that process of has resulted in them standing up and stating that they feel it is too dangerous. The government should respect their opinions and not suggest that it is too complicated for them to properly grasp – such statements disparage Yukoners’ intelligence and engagement.”

“Yukoners of all political and economic stripes are paying attention to this issue because fracking leads to massive desecration of the values we all hold dear,” says Cracknell. “We sincerely hope that government does not go ahead as indicated in these leaked documents.”

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For more information please contact:

Gill Cracknell
Executive Director
CPAWS Yukon
867-332-8079
gcracknell@cpawsyukon.org

Amber Church
Conservation Campaigner
CPAWS Yukon
867-393-8080 x 2
achurch@cpawsyukon.org