EX-99.1
2
dmc-prnov2021denisonadopt.htm
PRESS RELEASE DATED DECEMBER 2, 2021
dmc-prnov2021denisonadopt
Exhibit 99.1
Denison Mines
Corp.
1100 – 40
University Ave
Toronto, ON M5J
1T1
www.denisonmines.com
PRESS
RELEASE
DENISON ANNOUNCES ADOPTION OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES POLICY
Toronto, ON – Dec 2,
2021. Denison Mines Corp. (“Denison” or the
“Company”) (DML: TSX, DNN: NYSE American) is pleased to
announce that its Board of Directors has approved the adoption of
an Indigenous Peoples Policy (the “IPP”). The IPP
reflects Denison’s recognition of the important role of
Canadian business in the process of reconciliation with Indigenous
peoples in Canada and outlines the Company’s commitment to
take action towards advancing reconciliation.
Denison
operates in various locations across Canada, on lands that are in
the traditional territory of Indigenous peoples, including its
exploration and evaluation operations in Saskatchewan, which are in
regions covered by Treaty 6, Treaty 8 and Treaty 10 encompassing
the traditional lands of the Cree, Dakota, Déne, Lakota,
Nakota, Saulteaux, and within the homeland of the Métis. As
such, Denison's relations with Indigenous People are unique and
varied. Denison’s flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project is
located within the boundaries of Treaty 10, in the traditional
territory of English River First Nation, and in the homeland of the
Métis.
David Cates, President & CEO of Denison,
commented: “I believe
Industry has an important role to play in acknowledging, and
building awareness of, the history of Indigenous people in Canada
and the critical importance of pursuing the objectives of
reconciliation. As such, the adoption of an Indigenous Peoples
Policy is a notable step in our Company’s journey to bring
reconciliation to the forefront of what we do and how we do it.
This policy is supported by our Board of Directors, on behalf of
Denison shareholders, and is welcome amongst all levels of staff
within the organization – from the executive team to
operational personnel. We are pleased to formalize our
Company’s approach to Indigenous relations and commit to the
development of a continuously evolving Reconciliation Action
Plan.”
The IPP was developed based on Denison’s
experiences with, as well as feedback and guidance received from,
Indigenous communities with whom the Company is actively engaged.
This approach was designed to ensure the IPP appropriately captures
a mutual vision for reconciliation. A copy of the IPP (available in
English, French, Cree and Déne languages), and other core
corporate policies, are available on the Corporate Governance page
of Denison’s website (www.denisonmines.com).
Overview of Denison’s IPP
Denison’s
IPP reflects the Company’s belief that reconciliation is
advanced through collaboration with Indigenous peoples and
communities to build long-lasting, respectful, trusting and
mutually beneficial relationships while aspiring to avoid adverse
impacts of Denison’s activities and operations.
The
IPP identifies 5 key areas of action that will support the ongoing
development of a continuously evolving Reconciliation Action Plan
(“RAP”): Engagement; Empowerment; Environment;
Employment; and Education. Through the RAP, Denison is striving to
interweave the principles of reconciliation throughout all areas of
the company’s operations.
In
expressing the Company’s intentions in the IPP, Denison
carefully considered the standards and principles articulated by
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
and Call to Action 92 (Business and Reconciliation) from
Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (the
“TRC”).
About Reconciliation in Canada
The TRC was established in 2008 and was mandated
to reveal to Canadians the complex truth about the history and the
ongoing legacy of residential schools in a manner that fully
documents the individual and collective harms against Indigenous
peoples, and to guide and inspire a process of truth and healing,
leading toward reconciliation
within Indigenous families, and
between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous communities,
churches, governments, and Canadians generally.
As
the TRC summarizes in its reports from 2015, the residential school
system was “part of a coherent policy to eliminate Aboriginal
people as distinct peoples and to assimilate them into the Canadian
mainstream against their will.” Operating over a period of
almost 130 years, from 1870 to 1997, the Government of Canada
estimates that over 150,000 First Nation, Métis, and Inuit
students passed through the system.
Reconciliation
is described by the TRC as “an ongoing individual and
collective process of establishing and maintaining respectful
relationships… amongst First Nations, Inuit and Métis
former Indian Residential School students, their families,
communities, religious entities, former school employees,
government and the people of Canada.” Amongst many other
things, the TRC notes that “a critical part of this process
involves repairing damaged trust by making apologies, providing
individual and collective reparations, and following through with
concrete actions that demonstrate real societal
change”.
In
support of the reconciliation process, the TRC issued 94 Calls to
Action – including, but not limited to, those related to
child welfare, education, language and culture, health, justice,
the rights of Indigenous peoples, missing children and burial
information, commemoration, media, sport, and
business.
More information about Canada’s Truth and
Reconciliation Commission can be obtained from the Government of
Canada’s website (https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1450124405592/1529106060525)
and the website for the National Centre for Truth and
Reconciliation (https://nctr.ca/).
About Denison
Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with
interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern
Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has an effective 95% interest in
its flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project, which is the largest
undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern
portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan.
Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership
interest in the McClean Lake joint venture, which includes several
uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill that is
contracted to process the ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll
milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest Main and
Midwest A deposits, and a 66.90% interest in the Tthe Heldeth
Túé (“THT,” formerly J Zone) and Huskie
deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. Each of Midwest Main,
Midwest A, THT and Huskie are located within 20 kilometres of the
McClean Lake mill.
Through its 50% ownership of JCU, Denison holds additional
interests in various uranium project joint ventures in Canada,
including the Millennium project (JCU 30.099%), the Kiggavik
project (JCU 33.8123%) and Christie Lake (JCU
34.4508%).
Denison is also engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental
services through its Closed Mines group, which manages Denison's
Elliot Lake reclamation projects and provides post-closure mine
care and maintenance services to a variety of industry and
government clients.
Certain information contained in this news release constitutes
‘forward-looking information’, within the meaning of
the applicable United States and Canadian legislation concerning
the business, operations and financial performance and condition of
Denison.
Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by
the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘plans’,
‘expects’, ‘budget’,
‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’,
‘forecasts’, ‘intends’,
‘anticipates’, or ‘believes’, or the
negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state
that certain actions, events or results ‘may’,
‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or
‘will be taken’, ‘occur’, ‘be
achieved’ or ‘has the potential to’. In
particular, this news release contains forward-looking information
pertaining to the IPP and Denison’s intentions and
expectations with respect thereto; and expectations regarding its
joint venture ownership interests and the continuity of its
agreements with its partners.
Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates
of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are
subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance
or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Denison
believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking
information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these
expectations will prove to be accurate and results may differ
materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking
information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors
that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the
factors discussed in Denison’s Annual Information Form dated
March 26, 2021 under the heading ‘Risk Factors’. These
factors are not, and should not be construed as being
exhaustive.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information
contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this
cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the
assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of
this news release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the
date of this news release to conform such information to actual
results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise
required by applicable legislation.