"Ontario grandmother fasts to stop uranium mining," Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium, December 8, 2007

Who: Donna Dillman, grandmother who has refused food for 63 days in an effort to stop uranium drilling in Eastern Ontario.

What: If Premier McGuinty has not called a moratorium or an inquiry by Tues., noon, Dillman will cut all nourishment and go to water only.

Why: Once disturbed, uranium is a serious risk to those downstream (in this case her children and grandchildren, and people living in Ottawa) and those not yet born. When dealing with one of the most serious matters on the planet, drastic measures become necessary.

Where: Dillman will remain at the legislature every day until it recesses.
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Having waited ten days for Premier McGuinty to get back to her on the question of exports, Donna Dillman, who has been refusing food for 63 days, has now formally requested a meeting with the Premier. "He committed to supplying a response to my inquiry about why we have to put the health of a million people at risk, upstream of Ottawa, when we currently export most of the uranium mined in Canada," Dillman said in a speech at the Climate Change rally on Saturday.

The 53 year-old grandmother, from near the Sharbot Lake uranium drilling site, continued, "I’d hoped it would not come to this, but, as I speak, diamond drills are being readied to penetrate the ground for uranium ore samples upriver of my children and grandchildren. When that happens, radon gas, the second highest cause of lung cancer, will be released into the air."

"When dealing with one of the most serious matters on the planet, drastic measures become necessary. All through this, I have reserved the right to make a new decision every day. Unless I hear, by Tues at noon, that the Premier is calling a public inquiry that would lead to a moratorium, it is my intention to move this protest to water only. In short, I will take no nourishment until such time as the necessary steps are taken to resolve this matter”, she said, to applause from the large crowd gathered around her at Queen’s Park.

URGENT REQUEST!

Donna Dillman is into her third month without food in support of a moratorium and inquiry into exploration and mining of uranium in eastern Ontario. As you may know, she moved to Queen’s Park in late November in order to speak with the Premier and other politicians and to gain more media coverage than was the case when she was living on the side of the road at the exploration site.

It is critical that this grandmother returns home safely for Christmas.

She has been successful in her efforts to draw attention to this issue and in the last four days before the legislature recesses for the holidays, we are calling for everyone’s assistance. One last letter, to help the premier understand that there are an incredible number of people who care about those not yet born and about the planet on which we depend.

It is important that you take the time now to communicate your concerns to Premier McGuinty because the House breaks for Christmas on December 13 and doesn't return until February 2008.

Please call, (email or fax) Premier McGuinty early this coming week:

Queen's Park
Room 281, Main Legislative Building
Toronto ON M7A 1A4

Tel 416-325-1941
Fax 416-325-3745

To email McGuinty go to this webpage to send an electronic message…
http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp

Lynn Daniluk
Uranium News
http://www.ccamu.ca





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