People Power and Pushback: First Quantum’s Stock Price Plummets Amidst Massive Protests in Panama

Submitted by Val on
Special Blog Type
A deal to allow operations to continue at one of the world’s biggest copper mines, high in the Panamanian mountain rainforest, is in limbo. Country-wide protests erupted last week in response to the announced deal and now the government says it’ll put the issue to a national referendum. Is this a new form of democratic accountability, or a government ruse to defuse massive public opposition?

Guatemalans Participate in Historic National Strike to Defend Democracy

Submitted by Val on
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Guatemalans are entering a fifth week of a national strike, with hundreds of thousands across the country taking to the streets in an effort to uphold the most basic tenets of democracy.

Long Point First Nation Hosts a Day to Affirm its Sovereignty over its Traditional Territory - KAKINWAWIGAK NIDAKINAN

(Winneway Aki) In the same spirit as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, celebrated yearly on September 30th, which is a national day to bring forward truth(s) regarding historical harms and past events in a way that brings reconciliation, LPFN raised its flag at the LaRONDE Complexe, Lac Preissac.

Source
Long Point First Nation

Wells residents already experiencing negative impacts just days after mine approval

Only days after the Province of B.C. issued an Environmental Assessment Certificate for the Cariboo Gold Project, Wells residents are experiencing persistent and widespread industrial noise from a newly-activated mine portal ventilation system on a mountain overlooking the town. The whining sound is audible in every corner of Wells, causing aggravation to many residents, and worry about what’s to come.

Source
Friends of Responsible Economic Development in Wells, B.C.

Going Upstream: The impact of industrial mining on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation

Brief prepared for the country visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo.

Since 1999, MiningWatch has provided technical expertise and advocacy support to hundreds of communities across the globe as they assert their rights to safe drinking water and sanitation in the face of imminent and past harm by industrial mining.

Former B.C. mining exec fined $30K for environmental violations — but First Nation says damage costs far more

Yellow Giant mine released excess waste water into wetland and waterways on Gitxaała territory in 2015

Kate Partridge · CBC News

The former executive of a now-bankrupt mining company has been fined nearly $30,000 for environmental violations dating back to 2015 — an amount that has led to competing appeals from both sides.

Source
CBC

International Organizations Express Concern for Democracy in Guatemala Amidst Attacks

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MiningWatch Canada joins a host of international solidarity and human rights organizations in expressing deep concern over recent attacks against democracy in Guatemala. While the current Attorney General seeks to delegitimize election results and prevent the peaceful transfer of power, thousands of Guatemalans are participating in a national strike and taking to the streets in a powerful defense of democracy. Read more below and stay tuned for further updates.

Supreme Court of Canada Finds Impact Assessment Act Unconstitutional in Part

Toronto – The federal government must immediately take steps to introduce amendments to the Impact Assessment Act in order to avoid a critical vacuum in environmental assessment of key projects in Canada, stated Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), Environmental Defence Canada (EDC), and MiningWatch Canada.

Source
MiningWatch Canada – Canadian Environmental Law Association – Environmental Defence Canada
Key Issues

Tiny Town Fights to Change Mine Plan to Preserve Tourism, Culture and Natural Beauty

A provincial decision is imminent on a massive industrial gold mine complex proposed for Wells, BC, (population 250) that would dominate the scenic entrance to the small mountain town, loom over half the community and funnel heavy industrial traffic through it, say concerned citizens. The worried residents are asking for design changes to minimize the significant impacts of the Cariboo Gold Project where a three-year environmental assessment process has just concluded.

Source
FRED, the Friends of Responsible Economic Development in Wells, B.C.
Attached file

Environment and community groups applaud BC Supreme Court ruling to reform province’s mineral staking regime

[Smithers, Osoyoos, Kimberley] - The BC Supreme Court released its decision Tuesday holding that the Province needs to change its free entry mineral claim system within the next 18 months to align with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The ruling is a result of the Gitxaała and Ehattesaht Nations’ joint legal challenge of one of British Columbia’s oldest colonial laws.

Source
BCMLR — MiningWatch Canada
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