Environmentalist Can't Believe Government Response To His Campaign to Condemn Arsenic Releases Into a Creek Near His Home in Virden, Manitoba

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Below is the response from the Government of Manitoba to a complaint by John Fefchak that arsenic was being released into the water supply of his hometown, Virden, Manitoba. 
(Please read) Keep Arsenic out of the Water at Virden, Manitoba, Canada! An Open Letter to Manitoba's Minister of Conservation (Environment)
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Dear Mr. Fefchak:
September 13, 2013
Thank you for your e-mail of August 15, 2013, to the
Honourable Gord Mackintosh, Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship regarding the discharge of arsenic from the Town of Virden Water Treatment Plant. I have been asked to respond to your letter on his behalf.

It is not accurate that the practice of discharging minute amounts of arsenic constitutes a violation of provincial legislation. It is permitted by the Town of Virden's Environment Act licence. Your assertion that arsenic is a pollutant is incorrect in this context, as the discharge of arsenic does not affect the natural, physical, chemical or biological quality of the environment. It is not injurious to the health or safety of persons, or injurious or damaging to property or to plant or animal life, nor does it interfere with, or is it likely to interfere with the comfort, well being, livelihood or enjoyment of life by a person. Therefore, arsenic discharge in these minute amounts does not meet the definition of a pollutant under The Environment Act.


A study is not required for this practice, as many such studies were relied on to compile the The Manitoba Water Quality Standards, Objectives and Guidelines, which, as noted in the last correspondence I forwarded to you, the arsenic discharges do not exceed for surface water bodies.


Thank you for bringing your concerns to the department's 
attention.Yours sincerely, Don Labossiere.

Cc: Honourable Gord Mackintosh 
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John Fefchak's response: Hello  James O'Conner. ( re: my open letter to Minister Mackintosh, which was published in the Brandon Sun newspaper, 16 Aug, 2013.)
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Well, here's  the answer that I get from the people who are supposed to be 
the Manitoba protectors of our environment, water and health of people. So the arsenic is not dangerous and Virden/ or anybody else can keep dumping this poison into a water source. Hmmm?  Yet, accordingly to the Criminal Code of Canada it is an offence to knowingly put a poison into water that livestock will or can drink out of. Conclusion: Arsenic is toxic only when the government says that it is, and only depending on who is dumping it. Unbelievable, but here's the proof.   I know it is Friday 13 th. This is very bad news.

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