2012:06 REGULATION OF EXPLORATION FOR AND EXPLOITATION OF SHALE GAS IN CANADA
Whereas 1 mining companies in various regions of Canada have been granted licences to explore for shale gas and have been actively involved in such exploration for several years, in many cases without consulting or giving any advance warning to municipalities and individual citizens of the affected territories; and
Whereas 2 the extraction of shale gas involves the process of hydraulic fracturing, also known as ‘fracking,’ whereby large quantities of water mixed with sand and laced with chemicals & toxins is injected into the ground to fracture the rock with the risk of contaminating the groundwater and even rendering it combustible; and
Whereas 3 the adverse effects of fracking, such as methane leaks, have already been felt in a number of US states, such as Pennsylvania and Texas, leading to widespread calls for a ban on this process; and
Whereas 4 many citizens and not-for-profit groups are deeply concerned about the risks to the public and to the safety of the water supply; and
Whereas 5 the human right to water has been recognized by the United Nations; therefore be it
Resolved 1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as policy that any new exploration for shale gas in Canada be postponed until methods are developed which make it safe for the environment, especially for nearby aquifers which may be affected by the fracking process, and that the shale gas industry be regulated; and be it further
Resolved 2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
a. introduce a moratorium on any currently planned exploration for and exploitation of shale gas in Canada
b. work with the Provinces and Territories to develop strict guidelines to regulate any possible future development of a shale gas industry in Canada.