SISSON BROOK MINE: Council in solidarity with grandmothers

SISSON BROOK MINE: Council in solidarity with grandmothers

Postby Oscar » Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:32 pm

Council of Canadians in solidarity with Maliseet grandmothers opposed to Sisson Brook mine

[ https://canadians.org/blog/council-cana ... brook-mine ]

July 14, 2017 - 11:42 am

(PHOTO: Maliseet grandmothers have set up a camp at the site of the proposed Sisson Brook mine, an hour north of Fredericton.)

The Council of Canadians is opposed to the proposed Sisson Brook mine in New Brunswick that was approved by the Trudeau government in late-June.

Sisson Brook is a proposed open-pit tungsten and molybdenum mine that would be built at the headwaters of the Nashwaak River on Maliseet territory about 100 kilometres north of Fredericton. The mine would also include an unlined tailings pond and an ore processing plant. Molybdenum is used for warplanes and industrial motors.

This past February, CBC reported, "The Todd Corporation, a 130-year-old company based in Wellington, New Zealand — with remarkable similarities to New Brunswick's own Irving family enterprises — has emerged as the chief backer of Northcliff Resources Ltd. and the beleaguered Sisson Brook mine it has been attempting to create."

St. Mary's First Nation Chief Candice Paul has stated, "We assert Aboriginal title to the area where the mine is being proposed ...The mine would destroy this part of our territory, it would never be the same again."

And CBC has reported, "A Maliseet First Nations chief says the New Brunswick government threatened to cancel lucrative tax deals with her band and other Indigenous communities if they didn't sign an agreement on the Sisson mine. Chief Patricia Bernard of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation says she doesn't support the proposed mine, but her band couldn't risk losing the money it gets from provincial gas, tobacco and sales taxes collected at its Grey Rock commercial development [in Edmundston]."

That article adds, "Premier Brian Gallant [has] announced that the six Maliseet chiefs in the province had signed an 'accommodation agreement' on the proposed $579 million open-pit tungsten mine. That's despite public opposition to the project by five of those chiefs as recently as last April, when they said the project would 'destroy one of our last remaining areas to harvest and practise our culture'."

Chief Bernard says, "We do not approve and at no point do we approve of that mine. But if they're going to go ahead with the mine, we needed to take some sort of accommodation for that loss. The chiefs did not approve of this mine. This accommodation agreement is compensation for something the province is going to do."

Fredericton chapter activist Mark D'Arcy has blogged about a Longhouse that was built near the New Brunswick Legislature to coincide with 'Canada Day' as "a powerful testament to the traditions of the Wolastoqiyik".

D'Arcy highlighted, "After July 3rd, the Longhouse will be disassembled and transported to Sisson Brook in support of the grandmothers taking part in ceremony to protect the land and water from the proposed tungsten- molybdenum open-pit mine. The Wolastoq Grand Council and their non-Indigenous allies (including the chapters of Council of Canadians here in New Brunswick) understand that the risk of a tailings pond spill into the headwaters of the Nashwaak River is simply too great, as demonstrated by the catastrophic Mount Polley spill in British Columbia back in 2014."

On July 6, APTN National News reported, "Maliseet grandmothers have set up camp on the site of a proposed open pit mine."

Construction on the mine is expected to start in the spring of 2018.


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Re: SISSON BROOK: Council in solidarity with Malieseet gran

Postby Oscar » Wed Jul 19, 2017 10:49 am

Fredericton chapter supports Wolastoq Mothers & Grandmothers camp at Sisson Brook

[ https://canadians.org/blog/fredericton- ... sson-brook ]

July 18, 2017 - 7:15 pm

The Council of Canadians Fredericton chapter visited the Sisson Brook today.

Chapter activist Joan Green tells us, "The Fredericton Chapter Council of Canadians & Allies visited The Wolastoq Mothers & Grandmothers who are exercising their inherent rights by moving on to the land at Sisson Brook above Stanley, N.B. Sisson Brook is the site of one of the world’s largest open-pit mines proposed near Stanley on traditional Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) territory. Fredericton COC & Allies were happy to deliver supplies to them & are looking forward to working with them in the future."

The Council of Canadians is opposed to the proposed Sisson Brook mine in New Brunswick that was approved by the Trudeau government in late-June.

Sisson Brook is a proposed open-pit tungsten and molybdenum mine that would be built at the headwaters of the Nashwaak River on Maliseet territory about 100 kilometres north of Fredericton. The mine would also include an unlined tailings pond and an ore processing plant. Molybdenum is used for warplanes and industrial motors.

This past February, CBC reported, "The Todd Corporation, a 130-year-old company based in Wellington, New Zealand — with remarkable similarities to New Brunswick's own Irving family enterprises — has emerged as the chief backer of Northcliff Resources Ltd. and the beleaguered Sisson Brook mine it has been attempting to create."

St. Mary's First Nation Chief Candice Paul has stated, "We assert Aboriginal title to the area where the mine is being proposed ...The mine would destroy this part of our territory, it would never be the same again." Chief Patricia Bernard of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation says, "We do not approve and at no point do we approve of that mine."

Construction on the mine is expected to start in the spring of 2018.

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Re: SISSON BROOK: Council in solidarity with Malieseet gran

Postby Oscar » Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:21 am

Where the Brooks Begin: visiting the Sisson Brook Grandmothers’ camp

[ https://canadians.org/blog/where-brooks ... 80%99-camp ]

November 27, 2017 - 3:04 pm

(PHOTOS: throughout article)

The Wolastoq grandmothers holding down the camp at the Sisson Brook Mine are calling the place ‘Macehcwik sipohsisol’ (ma-jedge-eh-wig zeeboo-zeezil), meaning ‘where the brooks begin’. Ramona Nicholas of Tobique First Nation explained that there are at least three brooks starting in the area, and along with the land and ecosystem, all would be threatened by the project.

The camp was reestablished this summer [ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns ... -1.4209673 ] after the environmental assessment received approval from the Federal government this past June. They have the full support of the Wolastoq Grand Chief Spasaqsit Possesom (Ron Tremblay), who represents the traditional government of the Wolatoq (Maliseet) Nation, but getting support from the colonial structures that are the First Nations Band Councils has been more challenging. [ https://canadians.org/blog/maliseet-chi ... redericton ]

For the Grandmothers living here, it has been a healing journey: being at the camp means reconnecting with the land, learning many lessons about living with each other and the environment, and sacrificing time with their loved ones. Their vision is to connect others to the land through ceremony. Each Grandmother has her own story, and Ramona’s is one of spiritual reconnection and resilience. Since moving to the camp full time in September, she has made plans to build a sweat lodge, a healing centre and a greenhouse.

The location is remote and Ramona tells us there’s a bear living closeby, as well as a moose and calf. Animals, plants, trees and water are considered not only living things but relations, and as such the Grandmothers remain resolved to protect this land for future generations.

And so despite the plans to create a place of healing for others in the future, they are living in solitude day by day, asserting sovereignty over the land where the brooks begin.

Details of the proposed project

Sisson Mines Ltd., a subsidiary of Northcliff Resources Ltd., has plans to move ahead with their proposed Sisson Tungsten and Molybdenum Mine Project in the spring. As noted in previous blogs about the project, the proposal includes an open-pit mine that would be built at the headwaters of the Nashwaak River on Wolastoq territory, about 100 kilometres north of Fredericton (near Napadogan in central NB). The mine would also include a tailings pond and an ore processing plant. This project’s supporters, including the New Brunswick government and industry groups, are touting jobs and economic prosperity for the region and all of NB. You can find all of the exaggerated numbers on the Sisson Partnership website. [ http://www.sissonpartnership.com/s/home.asp ]

Critiques and submissions to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency are found here by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick [ http://www.conservationcouncil.ca/en/si ... e-project/ ] as well as Mining Watch Canada. [ https://miningwatch.ca/news/2016/5/18/c ... ironmental ]

How can you support the camp? The Fredericton chapter of the Council has been raising awareness about the project, raising money for the protectors, delivering materials and assisting with building a structure at the encampment. If you’re in the area get in touch with them at chrissmissaert.rpf { @ } gmail.com

Fundraising efforts continue, with beautiful beaded birchbark heart pins made by the Grandmothers and a go fund me account (connect with me if you’d rather e-transfer to the Grandmothers to save on the administrative costs that go to go fund me). You can also stay connected through their facebook group, Connecting to the Land. [ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1462845220675370/about/ ]


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Re: SISSON BROOK MINE: Council in solidarity with grandmoth

Postby Oscar » Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:25 am

The Council supports Wolastoq camp, opposes Schedule 2 exemption for Sisson mine

[ https://canadians.org/blog/council-supp ... isson-mine ]

March 9, 2018 - 7:22 am

(PHOTO: On November 14, 2017, the Fredericton chapter helped build a winter home for the Wolastoq Grandmothers Sisson Encampment against a proposed open-pit mine that threatens the headwaters of the Nashwaak River and other water bodies on Maliseet territory about 100 kilometres north of Fredericton.)

The Council of Canadians is against the proposed Northcliff Resources Sisson mine that was approved by the Trudeau government in June 2017.

Sisson is a proposed open-pit tungsten and molybdenum mine that would be built at the headwaters of the Nashwaak River on Maliseet territory about 100 kilometres north of Fredericton. The mine would also include an unlined tailings pond and an ore processing plant. Molybdenum is used for warplanes and industrial motors.

The Council of Canadians Fredericton chapter has worked in solidarity with the Wolastoq Mothers and Grandmothers who are exercising their inherent rights by establishing a land defence camp on the site. In July 2017, the chapter delivered supplies to the camp, in November they helped build a permanent structure there, and this past December they facilitated the purchase of a generator (that was delivered by Council of Canadians organizers Angela Giles and Robin Tress).

The Council of Canadians has also long opposed the Schedule 2 provision in the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations that allows fresh water bodies to be redefined as 'tailings impoundment areas' and for toxic mine waste to be dumped into them. We have participated in campaigns to stop Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) in British Columbia [ https://canadians.org/blog/council-cana ... es-limited ] and Sandy Pond in Newfoundland and Labrador from being turned into tailings impoundment areas. [ https://canadians.org/blog/federal-cour ... sandy-pond ]

Now, CBC reports, "The company behind the proposed Sisson mine project is seeking a permit from the federal government to be able to dump waste water into fish-bearing brooks and compensate for the loss of fish habitat. The project still requires an amendment to the metal mining effluent regulations under the federal Fisheries Act before it can proceed. The proposal involves the development and use of a tailings storage facility 'that is expected to cover some brooks that are productive fish habitat' and associated storage of tailings and waste rock."

The Conservation Council of New Brunswick says this project would have a significant impact on Bird Brook, West Branch Napadogan Brook, Sisson Brook and McBean Brook.

Environment Canada will hold a public meeting on this issue on March 15 starting at 6 pm at the Upper Nashwaak Lions Club at 1284 Route 107 near Cross Creek.

Construction on the mine is expected to start this spring.

The Council of Canadians calls on the Trudeau government to reject the requested Schedule 2 exemption for the mine and to rescind the Schedule 2 provision.


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Re: SISSON BROOK MINE: Council in solidarity with grandmoth

Postby Oscar » Fri Mar 16, 2018 5:23 pm

Fredericton chapter at public meeting to oppose Sisson mine and Schedule 2 provision that allows mine waste to be dumped into freshwater

[ https://canadians.org/blog/fredericton- ... llows-mine ]

March 16, 2018 - 3:39 pm

The Council of Canadians Fredericton chapter was at a public consultation held by Environment Canada last night to express their opposition to the Sisson mine that was approved by the Trudeau government in June 2017.

The Sisson open-pit tungsten and molybdenum mine would be built at the headwaters of the Nashwaak River on Maliseet territory about 100 kilometres north of Fredericton. The mine would also include an unlined tailings pond and an ore processing plant. Molybdenum is used for warplanes and industrial motors.

CBC reports, "Close to 250 people crowded into the Upper Nashwaak Lions Club in Cross Creek to hear what the company [Northcliff Resources Ltd] behind the Sisson mine project had to say about its dispose of waste water into fish-bearing brooks and compensate for the loss of fish habitat."

Our long time ally the Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CCNB) says this project would have a significant impact on Bird Brook, West Branch Napadogan Brook, Sisson Brook and McBean Brook.

The Council of Canadians has long opposed the Schedule 2 provision in the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations that allows fresh water bodies to be redefined as 'tailings impoundment areas' and for toxic mine waste to be dumped into them.

The Fredericton chapter has also worked in solidarity with the Wolastoq Mothers and Grandmothers who are exercising their inherent rights by establishing a land defence camp on the site of the proposed mine. In July 2017, the chapter delivered supplies to the camp, in November they helped build a permanent structure there, and this past December they facilitated the purchase of a generator (that was delivered by Council of Canadians organizers Angela Giles and Robin Tress).

Today's CBC report notes, "As for the timeline of the project, Greg Davidson of the Sisson Partnership, said the company is working through a regulatory process that includes consultation. Davidson said there is a misconception that construction will start this spring, which isn't true. It could be up to 18 months before the project gets all the permits. The public has 30 days to submit comments and concerns to government as part of the process."

The Council of Canadians calls on the Trudeau government to reject the requested Schedule 2 exemption for the mine.

Furthermore, we are concerned that the Trudeau government's recently proposed Bill C-68, An Act to amend the Fisheries Act and other Acts in consequence, still allows for this provision. We believe it should be rescinded.


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