October 16, 2013 Mr. Yves-François Blanchet Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment Wildlife and Parks, Province of Quebec th Marie-Guyart, 29 Floor 675 boul. René-Levesque East Quebec, Quebec G1R 5V7 In regards to: Request for a provincial environmental assessment and public consultations (BAPE) for the proposed Kipawa Rare Earths project by Matamec Explorations Inc. Dear Mr. Blanchet, Please find attached the signatures and comments from the petition http://www.change.org/petitions/minister-of-natural-resources-quebec-protect-kipawa-lake. This petition states that the risks of the proposed Kipawa Rare Earths project are too great to allow it to proceed. Currently 2,543 individuals (Abitibi-Temiscaming residents, business owners, cottage owners, seasonal residents, tourists and other lake users) agree and have signed online, in addition we have received 55 paper signatures (also attached) giving a total of 2598 signatures to date in opposition of this project. The company, Matamec, has claimed and continues to claim social acceptability. This petition, the th peaceful protests which took place on September 4 , 2013 in Laniel, Kipawa and Temiscaming, the petition by A.P.A.R.T. (association pour l’avenir des ressources temiscamiennes) as well as a large Facebook community (over 1,000 ‘likes’ on https://www.facebook.com/SaveKipawaLake and almost 4,000 members of https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProtectKipawaLake/) prove otherwise. This project is not socially accepted. The company has not been very forthcoming in explaining the risks of the project to the public when questioned. In addition, rare earth mining is new to Canada. It poses additional risks to the environment, animals, plants, fish, air and water quality. In additional to those risks present with other types of mining the fact remains that the dangers of the rare earth ores themselves are not yet understood. One thing is clear, to date, rare earth mining has never been carried out in a safe manner. In both China and the United States there have been major environmental consequences and disasters associated with this type of mining and in China also extreme human health issues. For scientific and objectively sound information on the risks of rare earth mining I encourage you to see the United States EPA publications which can be accessed via the following links http://www.miningwatch.ca/sites/www.miningwatch.ca/files/epa_reportonrareearthelements1.pdf andhttp://www.miningwatch.ca/sites/www.miningwatch.ca/files/epa_ree_report_dec_2012.pdf For these reasons it is imperative that the public be completely informed and have the maximum opportunity for input. This cannot be done without a full provincial environmental assessment and public consultation process in Quebec (BAPE). Regardless of the amount of ore extracted per day, whether 4,000 or 7,000 the effects are likely to be similar, the difference is simply a matter of scale. In addition, allowing this project to proceed without the full studies is a legal loop-hole whereby the company can open with a less rigorous approval process and then increase their production after the fact. Matamec has already alluded to the fact that they may do so in the following press release http://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/48409/matamec-aims-to-boost-kipawaproject-economics-as-rare-earths-dynamics-improve-48409.htmlWhere Mr. Miller states “.. there is potential to increase production higher” In addition the Metal Mining and Effluent regulations do not limit the release of several of the potentially harmful substances that could be released during rare earth mining. At the time that many of these mining laws were written rare earth mining was not being carried out.

Furthermore the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks and the Province of Quebec have recently announced their plans to proceed with the creation of the Opemican Park project situated on the Kipawa Lake and Lake Temiscaming, both of which are located downstream of the proposed mine site. For this park to be worth the investment, it must attract visitors. How many individuals will want to vacation downstream of a potentially toxic and radioactive rare earth mine? If you take a moment and look through the comments provided by the petition signers many tourists are already stating that although they love the Kipawa area and have been visiting for generations, should this mine project be allowed to proceed they will take their families and money elsewhere. Tourism is one of the few long term stable industries in the area. Kipawa Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in Canada. It would be devastating for it to be lost due to a short term economic gain to few from a potentially destructive mining operation that will benefit few of the local population. Kipawa Lake is an important tourist destination, an important source of drinking water to local communities and those downstream along the Ottawa River. It also has a strong cultural and historic significance to local First Nations communities. I beg that you put these very important uses ahead of a potentially devastating short term financial gain for few. The first step in doing so Mr. Blanchet is to give the public more information and a voice. You can do so by requiring the project to undergo a full environmental study and public consultation. Please take into consideration these signatures in support of and in addition to those received from A.P.A.R.T. Sincerely, ______________________________________________ Christina Moreau, BSc, BEd MSc in Fisheries and Aquatic Science (in progress) [email protected] cc: Martine Ouellet, ministre des Ressources naturelles du Québec Pauline Marois, première ministre du Québec Leona Aglukkak, Minister of Environment, Government of Canada Norman Young, Mayor, Municipality of Kipawa Arnaud Warolin, Préfet MRC Temiscamingue Madeleine Paul, Chief, Eagle Village First Nation Harry St-Denis, Chief, Wolf Lake First Nation Christine Moore, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Member of Parliament, Deputy critic for energy and natural resources Association pour l’avenir des ressources temiscamiennes (APART) Coalition pour que le Québec ait meilleure mines Ottawa River Keeper Mining Watch Canada CPAWS Ottawa River Valley Les amis de la rivière Kipawa Sierra Club Québec Gilles Chapadeau, député de Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue Action boréale Abitibi-Témiscamingue (ABAT) Association canadienne des médecins pour l’environnement (ACME) Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique (AQLPA) Centre de recherche en éducation et formation relatives à l'environnement et à l'écocitoyenneté Fondation Rivières Les AmiEs de la Terre du Québec Nature Québec Société pour la nature et les parcs (SNAP-Québec) Société pour vaincre la pollution (SVP)