Business

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

PQ suggests long-term prohibition on fracking

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 09/21/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

QUEBEC -- The new Parti Québécois government hasn't wasted any time hinting about a long-term ban on the shale-gas industry.

Martine Ouellet, Quebec's new natural resources minister, says she doesn't believe the controversial method of extracting natural gas from shale, known as "fracking," can ever be done safely.

She made the remarks Thursday on her way into her first cabinet meeting.

"I don't foresee a day when there will be technology that will allow safe exploitation (of shale gas)," Ouellet said in Quebec City.

"Our position is very clear: We want a complete moratorium, not only on exploitation but also on exploration of shale gas. We haven't changed our minds."

Under political pressure, the former Liberal government halted shale-gas exploration last year in the fledgling industry to conduct more studies on the ecological risks. The environmental-review process was expected to take a couple of years.

Critics fear the method of unlocking natural gas from shale formations will create serious environmental problems -- including the contamination of drinking water.

The industry insists that extraction chemicals are only used in small doses and the chances of them seeping into the environment are very slim.

Analysts, meanwhile, have called shale gas a potential economic game-changer.

The industry has boasted that the provincial government, which is saddled with public debt, would reap annual royalties of $1 billion from shale-gas development.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 21, 2012 B9

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Business

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.