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About Northwatch |
Northwatch is the regional coalition of environmental
and citizen organizations and individual members in northeastern Ontario.
Founded in January of 1988, Northwatch has as a priority issues that are
of a regional nature : energy use, generation and conservation; forest
conservation and wild areas protection; waste management and water quality
issues; mining; and militarization. In addition to acting on these issues
as a representative body, Northwatch provides support to local citizens
groups addressing these and other environmental concerns in their community.
Northwatch is currently working with members and member groups to improve
forest management, promote community involvement in mine monitoring and
management, and prevent northeastern Ontario from becoming the receiving
ground for foreign wastes, including Toronto's garbage, Ontario's biomedical
waste, Canada's nuclear reactor fuel waste, and PCB's from around the world.
Northwatch has a "pro-north" perspective, and represents
the interests and particular issues of the region. Northwatch members believe
that, historically, northern Ontario has been regarded as an economic commodity
rather than community, and this must change; the north must realize a long-term
objective of diversifying the economy while maintaining the natural resource
base and making best best use those resources which are extracted. To this
end, economic and social decisions must be made with the priority of creating
and contributing to a "sustainable" north, largely done by recognizing
the inseparability of environmental and socio-economic concerns.
Northwatch as a Coalition
Northwatch's membership grew from a half dozen groups
in 1988 to more than twenty by the late 90's! Northwatch's membership is
spread from the northern Muskokas to Cochrane District, and from Nipissing
to Lake Superior. Northwatch, in turn, is affiliated with a number of provincial,
national or international organizations, as a member group or project partner.
As the regional coalition in the northeast, Northwatch
assists community based groups around the region to access government and
policy-making processes and consultations, and provides representation
based on regionally developed positions on environmental concerns and ecological
protection.
Northwatch currently :
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works to end government support for any proposal to bury nuclear
fuel waste in the Canadian Shield
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advocates for the most effective decommissioning of uranium mine tailings
in the Elliot Lake basin
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participates in local forest management planning, local citizens
committees, site visits and plan reviews
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provides support for local citizens committees and public participation
in forest management planning
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engages in provincial forest policy development and analysis, as it affects
the northeast
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plays an active advocacy and support role in the struggle for wild areas
protection and the conservation of ancient and indigenous forests in the
northeast
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leads the struggle against the import of PCB's, hazardous and biomedical
waste into northeastern Ontario
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coordinated continued northern opposition to proposal to export Toronto's
garbage to northern Ontario
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intervenes directly on mine development, operations and closure plans and
approvals
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is developing an inventory of mine impacts and research papers on mine
impacts and contaminated sites
Northwatch's support and information services for its members, member groups,
and the general public are an important and integral part of its mandate
to protect the environment by :
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promoting environmental awareness in northeastern Ontario
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promoting the integration of environmental concerns into economic and social
decision making
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encouraging the public to become involved in activities which protect or
restore the environment
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gathering and disseminating information about environmental problems and
sound responses
Northwatch holds quarterly regional meetings, with speakers,
workshops and discussion sessions; publishes a quarterly newsletter
with information about environmental issues, environmental protection and
legislation, and the natural environment in northeastern Ontario; and operates
an environmental resource centre in North Bay which serves northeastern
Ontario by providing information and acting as a resource, referral and
information service on environmental issues, and operating as a speakers
bureau for the northeast.
Northwatch - Acting Together Today - for Tomorrow!