Cases of Other Local Victims of Violence Need Review

Ottawa – April 3, 2015. Today, eleven of at least 120 women who claim to have been raped and gang raped by security guards at Barrick Gold’s Porgera Joint Venture mine in Papua New Guinea, and three of many more men and their families who claim to have been the victims of violence and killing by security guards, finally got equitable settlements.

(Ottawa/Amsterdam, March 30, 2015) Canadian mining company Eldorado Gold is undermining Greek economic recovery by large-scale tax avoidance according to a new report by the Dutch Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO). Eldorado is also supported by Export Development Canada.

(Ottawa) The planned Harper Creek Mine near Vavenby, British Columbia, could be another Mount Polley disaster and should be stopped, says MiningWatch Canada in its March 21 submission to the federal environmental assessment of the mine proposed project.

(Ottawa) On Sunday, March 1, International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced the appointment of a new federal Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Counsellor for the extractive sector. The post has been empty since the last one left quietly in October 2013, before the end of her contract.

Following the release of this new report, the Ejido La Sierrita express our indignation regarding the actions of the Canadian Embassy in failing to comply with its obligation to promote and protect our community’s human rights in the face of the violations perpetrated by the Canadian mining company Excellon Resources Inc.

A report based on internal documents obtained from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) concludes that Canadian diplomats in Mexico were complicit in Toronto-based Excellon Resources Inc.’s efforts to avoid redressing a violated land use contract and poor working conditions, and supported repression against a peaceful protest.

This report, based on internal documents obtained from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), concludes that Canadian diplomats in Mexico were complicit in Toronto-based Excellon Resources Inc.’s efforts to avoid redressing a violated land use contract and poor working conditions, and supported repression against a peaceful protest. The report, from MiningWatch Canada and the United Steelworkers, is based on a careful review of nearly 250 pages obtained from DFATD during a period of heightened conflict and repression from July to November 2012.

Wow. We asked ourselves how the Fraser Institute could bring back its annual global mining survey after Press Progress’ devastating exposé "Now ordinary Canadians can skew Fraser Institute's data from home”. Apparently the answer is simple -- pretend that nothing is wrong with the methodology (or that there actually is a methodology), just as they always have.