News release: A recently announced lawsuit against HudBay Minerals Inc. points to the industry's failure to take responsibility for corporate abuses beyond Canadian borders. Paradoxically, the company recently won an award for Corporate Social Responsibility from the Mining Association of...
MiningWatch's Review of Matoush Environmental Impact Statement
The guidelines set out in the Directives have clearly not been met by the proponent, and where they may have been met in the table of contents and section numbers the quality of the work is not sufficient for you, the communities of Mistissini, Cree Regional Authority, Chibougamau residents, or...
Federal Panel Reviews: An Essential Tool for Evaluating Complex and Controversial Mining Projects
A Special Brief for Mining Day on the Hill by MiningWatch Canada, November 23, 2010 - available here as a PDF file. On November 3rd the Government of Canada announced that it was rejecting Taseko Mines application to develop an open-pit gold and copper mine in the traditional territory of the...
Uranium Mining in the Eeyou Istchee Territory: Alternative Perspectives
Alternative perspectives about uranium mining to contrast the information being distributed by Strateco, the proponent of the Matoush Uranium Exploration Project which is undergoing an Enviornmental Assessment in 2010. With links to sources and additional informaiton.
Bill C-300 a High Water Mark for Mining and Government Accountability
On October 27, 2010, Bill C-300, the so-called Responsible Mining Bill, went to a final vote in the House of Commons. There were no illusions that the private member’s bill, put forward by Liberal MP John McKay, would breeze to victory. The ruling Conservative party whipped its MPs to oppose the...
Environmental Assessment – Federal Role Under Fire
The Canadian government doesn’t understand or value environmental assessment any more than it understands or values sustainable development. Unless the Canadian public – not just environmental groups – takes a stand, we could lose what’s left of the federal environmental assessment process, and with...
Federal Decision on Proposed Prosperity Mine: First Nations’ rights and fish-filled lakes not for sale to the mining industry
On November 2, 2010, after an extensive review process the federal government rejected Taseko Mines Limited’s proposal for an open pit gold and copper mine in the heart of the Tsilhqot’in Territory, 125 km west of Williams Lake, BC. The proposed Prosperity mine would have drained Fish Lake (Teztan...
Matoush Advanced Exploration Project Brings Uranium Debate to Northern Quebec
Uranium mining and the nuclear industry have been high profile issues in Quebec in recent months, with the community opposition that developed in response to a possible uranium mine near Sept-Iles and the planned refurbishment of the Gentilly reactor 100 km northeast of Montreal. A number of...
Vale’s Billion Dollar Bonus – Another Example of EDC’s Faulty CSR
On October 4, 2010, Export Development Canada (EDC) announced that it would provide up to a billion dollars in loans to international mining giant Vale. Half of the amount is targeted to projects at former Inco facilities in Canada; the other half will be available for operations outside Canada but...
And we thought we had it bad! Visitors from NWT shocked by Ontario’s lack of oversight for mineral exploration
From October 13 to 15, MiningWatch hosted the annual Ontario Mining Action Network workshop in Thunder Bay. Over the past 6 years the network has provided an effective forum to share experiences and proposals for reform across the province. This year two visitors from the Northwest Territories were...
Canadian Lakes, Streams and Wetlands at Risk
These natural lakes and streams have been or are at risk of being "re-classified" as waste dumps for the mining industry. This is possible to thanks to Schedule 2 of the Fisheries Act's Metal Mining Effluent Regulations which was added in 2002. The first listings were used to 'grandfather' ongoing...
Vote on Bill C-300 Signals Strong Momentum Towards Regulation of Canadian Mining Industry Overseas
News release: The narrow defeat in the House of Commons of Bill C-300, the "Responsible Mining Act", marks a significant turning point for the country. In spite of an unprecedented and sustained year-long lobbying effort by the mining industry aimed at defeating the Bill, the close vote...
Letter from 39 Latin American Human Rights Organizations Supporting Bill C-300
In our countries, we have been witnesses to serious negative impacts generated by mining and extractives companies. In many cases, despite the fact that these actions amount to human rights violations, domestic crimes, and violations of international environmental standards, we are unable to promote...
Declaration in Defence of Wirikuta
by Noticias Yurata: The Wikárika People from the three states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Durango (Mexico) oppose First Majestic Silver's presence in their territory.
Getting Regulations Right Could Help Fix Flaws in Mining Act - MiningWatch Comment on Environment Commissioner of Ontario Annual Report
In his recent Annual Report, Gord Miller, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, makes it clear that there are serious flaws in how Ontario currently oversees the mining industry. The report’s chapter on mining focuses on the new Mining Act and the problems occurring in the area of northern...
Military Coups, Mining & Canadian Involvement in Honduras
By Karen Spring (with Grahame Russell) for Rights Action: Canada is proceeding with "business as usual" in Honduras, even as Canadian government officials and politicians receive a steady stream of reports on on-going State-sponsored repression in Honduras. Repression is being widely used to...