The high cost of Canada’s diplomacy on behalf of Canadian mining companies came under public scrutiny during the week of February 5 when the son of murdered Mexican community leader Mariano Abarca and supporters presented a complaint to the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (PSIC) over the role of the Canadian Embassy in Mexico in the conflict over Blackfire Exploration’s Payback mine in Chicomuselo, Chiapas. 

In an historic act, thirty leading Quebec health, union and asbestos victims organisations and health directors have launched a united appeal to the leaders of all four Quebec political parties, imploring them to put aside partisan politics and take immediate action to protect Quebec workers and the Quebec population from asbestos.

The Trudeau government has finally presented draft legislation to reform the federal environmental review process. Since the new process is being presented as innovative and radical, but also aimed at promoting investment and “certainty” for corporations, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise if it fails to deliver on promises of evidence-based decisions, promoting sustainability and combatting climate change, and respect for Indigenous rights.

Eabametoong First Nation (EFN) heads to court today and tomorrow in Toronto for a judicial review of Ontario's permit for Landore Resources to drill for gold in environmentally and culturally sensitive areas, despite the well-documented concerns of EFN members.

What: Judicial Review of Ontario's permit for Landore to drill for gold in environmentally and culturally sensitive areas, despite the well-documented concerns of EFN members

(Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto) Mexican community leader Mariano Abarca was killed in 2009 for fighting to defend human rights and the environment in the small town of Chicomuselo, Chiapas where Calgary-based mining company Blackfire operated with close communication and support from the Canadian Embassy in Mexico.

While visiting with community members at Barrick Gold’s Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) mine in Papua New Guinea in December 2017, MiningWatch was alerted to the death of Boi Nelson Nai, a 15 year old indigenous Ipili boy of the Mamai Kensa Clan from Panadaka village in the Special Mine Lease Area of the mine. Boi Nelson Nai was killed when he was run over by a PJV loader truck on the Anawe waste dump on October 3, 2017. The family is still seeking compensation for his death.

More than eight years since the unsolved murder of Mariano Abarca in Chiapas, Mexico, his son and a group of Mexican human rights defenders have presented a submission to the Public Sector Integrity Commission (PSIC) regarding the Canadian Embassy in Mexico and its support for Canadian mining company Blackfire Exploration’s operations in Chiapas.

The Commissioner has 90 calendar days from the date of filing the complaint to decide whether or not to investigate.

Communiqué from The Collective for the Defense of Malagasy Lands - TANY

Summary:

Ontarians for a Just Accountable Mineral Strategy (OJAMS) has taken a closer look at the relationship between Ontario’s political parties and the metal mining industry in this province.

Using Elections Ontario’s financial statements available online, we found out how much each of the major mining companies with active operations in the province and the two junior mining companies with claims in the Ring of Fire gave to the three main political parties between 2014 and 2016.

BC Crown decision to quash Mount Polley private prosecution makes no sense

The BC Prosecution Service announced Tuesday that it was taking over and quashing the private prosecution of Mount Polley Mining Corporation over the tailings dam disaster. The charges were laid by Bev Sellars, Grandmother, former Chief of Xat’sull First Nation (Soda Creek), author, and indigenous advocate.