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Cottagers and residents of Bedford County, Ontario have found out what it means to lose the mineral rights to your property. If someone wants to prospect or develop a mine in your front yard, you are only entitled to compensation, not to stop it.

Bedford is in the Rideau Lakes area of the province about a half hour north of Kingston, near Westport. It is a mixture of local people and cottagers. Many of the cottagers have had their property for years and intend to retire there. Tourism is a major economic generator in the region.

(December 5, 2001) A delegation from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation is in Geneva, Switzerland, attending a workshop hosted by the United Nation's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The workshop which runs Dec. 5 & 7 is being attended by indigenous peoples, private sector natural resource, energy and mining companies. The purpose of the workshop is to gather information from around the world about resource development issues and how they impact on indigenous peoples and human rights. The Nishnawbe Aski Nation makes its presentation on Friday.

In early October, Catherine Coumans visited the Philippines to work with three partner communities. We report on two issues — Placer Dome's responsibility for the perilous situation in Marinduque, and Crew Development Corporation's efforts to establish a nickel mine in Mindoro despite determined local opposition.