Can anyone tell me what the qualifications are of Tony Brummell who is hosting a perimeter tour of Ajax mine on Sunday the 29th? The April 26 news article on page A5 (“Resident offers Ajax tour”) calls him a "Kamloops environmentalist" who claims to have enough specialty qualifications to the point that City councillors are considering partaking in this activist’s tour.
This article also goes on to inform us that Mr. Brummell has already given tours to NDP member candidates for our area as well as past candidates for the municipal election. Quote from article, “Council keeps saying it wants info from all sides, this is purely an environmentalist’s look at the impact of the mine.”
I just want to know while we are publishing this type of information for these environmentalist experts, if we couldn't list their credentials. Mr. Brummell states he worked in mining for 10 years in Ontario and then at Bethlehem which has been closed for 30 years but does not say what his position was or what education he possessed nor what experience he has in today’s current mining practices? He goes on to say that he worked for a rail (does not name it) company doing slope stabilization for a decade but does that mean he is a certified engineer?
I would also be interested in his experts — what are their credentials and why they are aren't part of the environmental assessment, especially if their expertise is better than those on the committee now? I was raised in mining communities in close proximity to open pit operations but does that make me an expert on the effects of mining or on the people and environment of same?
I am not saying Mr. Brummell does not have qualifications but he certainly has issues as do others who hold differing opinions. This tour sounds like an excellent idea but for a real view I would hope for reliable, current and educated facts. I just want to know if this tour that my City councillors "may" attend is backed by facts and without listing qualifications I have no idea.
CAROLINE KING
Kamloops
Editor’s note: Tony Brummell says his environmental credentials are “a self-taught sort of thing. I have taken inspiration from the David Suzukis of the world.” He graduated with honours from the respected Haileybury School of Mines (which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year) at Northern College in Ontario, and worked in various mines on blasting crews as well as driving trucks and bulldozers and on crushers. “I do have a fairly good experience in open-pit mines,” he told us.
