NL – The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services, has announced Dr. Ray Copes, as the Independent Chair to oversee the work of the Muskrat Falls Monitoring and Health Management Oversight Committee (MHMOC).
Dr. Copes is a physician with a Master’s Degree in Epidemiology. He was selected as the Independent Chair by the members of the MHMOC, comprised of federal, provincial, municipal, Nunatsiavut Government, Innu Nation, NunatuKavut Community Council and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro representatives. The biography of the Independent Chair can be found in the backgrounder below.
The members of the MHMOC committee comprised of scientific and traditional knowledge experts are:
- Raymond Copes – Independent Chair
- Peter Penashue – Innu Nation
- Jim Goudie – Nunatsiavut Government
- George Russell – NunatuKavut Community Council
- Jackie Wells – Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
- Beverly Ramos-Casey – Health Canada
- Douglas Howse (acting member) – Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Member for affected communities (Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Northwest River, Mud Lake, Sheshatshiu, Rigolet, and Cartwright) – To be determined
On April 11, 2018, the Provincial Government received the final recommendations of the Independent Expert Advisory Committee (IEAC) to address concerns related to methylmercury at the Muskrat Falls project. The IEAC recommended an independent body to oversee the design and implementation of a monitoring program for the Lower Churchill Project, ensuring that it is community-based, and that it provide information that is relevant to the protection of human health.
“Thank you to Dr. Copes for agreeing to take on the important role of Independent Chair. By establishing an independent group, which includes individuals from the Provincial and Federal Government, Innu Nation, Nunatsiavut Government, and the NunatuKavut Community Council, we are providing another outlet to provide ongoing oversight to the implementation of the monitoring program and interpretation of monitoring results.” -Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
