Jamie Kneen presents at the Fourth Keepers of the Water conference, held in Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan, August 19-23, 2010.
Federal Government Moves Quickly to Bypass Supreme Court Ruling, Undermine Environmental Assessment
Our Supreme Court win re-established the integrity of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), but the government has moved quickly to undo it. The Budget Implementation Bill, C-9, introduced March 29, 2010 and passed into law on July 12, makes a mockery of the independence and objectivity...
Participation in Prosperity Panel Review Pays Off – Process Shows Value of Rigorous Environmental Assessment
On July 2, sixty days after the end of six weeks of public hearings, the federal review panel examining the proposed Prosperity Gold Copper Mine released its report. We were very pleased to see many of our concerns, as well as those of the Tsilhqot’in and Secwepemc Nations, Williams Lake Council of...
Ring of Fire: Growing Concerns About Violations of Aboriginal Rights, Environmental Damage
In the last two years, the number of active mining claims has more than doubled in Ontario’s Far North in an area in the James Bay lowlands about the size of Prince Edward Island. Known as the “Ring of Fire”, it is the homeland for several Cree and Ojibway communities and sits at the edge of one...
Support for Mining Over Democratic Principles in Papua New Guinea
The global mining industry uses high-risk mining practices and employs environmentally destructive mine waste disposal methods in Papua New Guinea (PNG) that are not tolerated in most other countries, including Canada. Canadian companies continue to severely affect major tropical rivers in PNG by...
OECD Complaint Filed Against Rio Tinto and Ivanhoe Mines in Mongolia
On March 31, 2010, the Government of Mongolia signed an investment agreement with Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited and Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. for the development of a massive gold/copper mine.
On April 1, 2010, MiningWatch Canada and Britain’s Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)...
Corruption and Oppression in Chiapas, Mexico
In late November 2009, community activist Mariano Abarca Roblero was gunned down outside his home in the State of Chiapas in the south of Mexico. Mariano was a leader of the Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining (REMA). REMA had brought public attention to the region’s struggle against...
Bill C-300 Goes to a Vote this Fall – We Need Your Support!
Bill C-300, An Act respecting Corporate Accountability for Mining, Oil and Gas Corporations in Developing Countries, also known as the Responsible Mining Bill, has concluded hearings before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. The Bill goes back to the House of...
Open Letter Regarding the Socio-economic Costs and Benefits of the Proposed Prosperity Mine
Open Letter to the Honourable James Prentice, Minister of the Environment, and the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada: I write urging you to accept the findings of the Federal Panel Review on the Prosperity Mine in British Columbia, and refuse to issue any federal permits for...
Urgent Action: Shooting of Community Leader Opposing Goldcorp Inc.'s Marlin Mine in Guatemala; Threats Against Local Leaders Escalate
On Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 at 7:30 PM in the small community San José Nueva Esperanza in the village of Maquivil, municipality of San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Ms. Diodora Antonia Hernández Cinto was shot. Two unknown young men showed up at her house asking for a place to stay. When they were refused...
TAKE ACTION: Tell the Federal Government to turn down Taseko
Canadians want just and sustainable development not fake lakes and abuse of Aboriginal rights!
The federal review panel on the proposed Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine has released its final report. It has concluded that the project, if approved, would have significant and lasting negative...
Marathon PGM to find alternatives to destroying Bamoos Lake
MiningWatch has been informed in an email from the company, and confirmed by the staff for local MP Bruce Hyer, that Marathon PGM is no longer considering the destruction of Bamoos Lake as one of two tailings management options.
Urgent Action: Support legislation to impose standards on Canadian government support for mining companies operating internationally
(Update) Bill C-300 - a "responsible mining bill" - goes to a vote in the House of Commons in September or October. See a video on what it's about and who's supporting it - and send a sample letter of support to join in promoting it. Your letters of support can enhance its chances of becoming law...
Marathon PGM threatens Bamoos Lake
A federal environmental assessment of Marathon PGM's proposed mine in northern Ontario started on April 16, 2010. One of two proposed tailings management options would have 61-million m3 of mine waste dumped into Bamoos Lake. Bamoos Lake is a deep, cold water lake with a naturally sustaining lake...
Testimony on Bill C-300 at Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, June 8, 2010
University of Toronto law professor Audrey Macklin and Tom Shrake, CEO of Pacific Rim Mining, testify on Private Member's Bill C-300 before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Meeting no. 22, June 8, 2010. (Actually Mr. Shrake's comments are more general as he admits he isn...
Andalgalá community wants Canadian company Yamana Gold to cease operations
Residents in the community of Adalgalá (in the department of Adalgalá, province of Catamarca) in northwest Argentina are calling for an end to mining in their region. They are concerned about contamination caused by the (largely Swiss-owned) company Xtrata at its Bajo La Alumbrera mine which has...