Canadian Mining Harms Around the World: Law Reform Needed..

[Oscar]

Canadian Mining Harms Around the World: Criminal and Civil Law Reform Needed Now

[ http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinio ... -0002.html ]

MiningWatch in the News 13 November 2016, 10.05pm EST Source: TeleSur By: Grahame Russell

Social organizations organized several protests against OceanaGold ahead of the final ruling by the international court.

Canada does not have the laws or political oversight mechanisms – let alone the political will – to hold accountable our mining companies.

Over the past 15 years or so, there has been a growing number of reports about environmental harms, human rights violations and repression caused by Canadian mining companies around the world. The sheer volume of documented problems show it is not a question of a “few bad apples”, but rather a systemic, industry-wide problem – one that will not go away without serious political and legal challenges and reforms.

As the reports of harms, violations and repression pile up, it has become equally clear that Canada does not have the laws or political oversight mechanisms – let alone the political will – to monitor and hold accountable our mining companies. Impunity and immunity from legal liability are the norm in Canada.

Recently, the Toronto Star newspaper [ https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editori ... orial.html ] got it partly right, calling on the Canadian government to pass legislation “to make mining companies accountable for respecting human rights and environmental standards.”

MORE:

[ http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinio ... -0002.html ]

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Creation of a mining ombudsman on horizon, says Liberal MP championing the cause (Subscription Required)

[ http://www.hilltimes.com/2016/12/05/min ... L_CAMPAIGN)&goal=0_207adb2c89-46d4d8c0ce-90669285&mc_cid=46d4d8c0ce&mc_eid=65e9a66f14 ]

By DENIS CALNAN PUBLISHED : Monday, Dec. 5, 2016 12:00 AM

MiningWatch Canada says the industry is operating on an outdated, weak corporate social responsibility strategy and needs an ombudsman paired with government commitment to enforce sanctions against offending extractive companies. Liberal MP John McKay said he expects to see a clear plan in place by March 2017 for creating an ombudsman for the extractive sector. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

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Canadian mining goes on the offensive

[ http://canadians.org/media/canadian-min ... -offensive ]

Media Release July 22, 2015 UPDATE: July 23, 2015

OTTAWA – The United Nations’ first human rights report card on Canada in 10 years was released Thursday, with some not so flattering results. Along with criticism regarding gender equality, violence against women, missing and murdered aboriginal women, Bill C-51, and police use of force, the report had this to say about Canadian mining operations abroad:

The UN Committee expressed concerns “about allegations of human rights abuses by Canadian companies operating abroad, in particular mining corporations and about the inaccessibility to remedies by victims of such violations.” It recommends “establishing an independent mechanism with powers to investigate human rights abuses by such corporations abroad.”

The full report can be downloaded here:
[ http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/tr ... f6&Lang=en ]

[Oscar]

Investigative journalist finds growing opposition to Hudbay mining projects

[ http://rabble.ca/news/2016/11/investiga ... g-projects ]

By Meg Borthwick | November 30, 2016

Investigative journalist finds growing opposition to Hudbay mining projects

When award-winning journalist and filmmaker John Dougherty discovered that a copper mine was planned right in the middle of a sensitive biodiverse ecosystem in southeast Arizona, he wanted to know who owned the project and what their track record was like.

His research led him to Flin Flon Manitoba and a Toronto-based company called Hudbay Minerals. What Dougherty discovered was a shocking record of environmental degradation and human rights abuses.

The following is an edited excerpt from rabble.ca’s recent conversation with him . . . .

[ http://rabble.ca/news/2016/11/investiga ... g-projects ]