Statement: Today marks the anniversary of the Federal Government’s decision rejecting the Prosperity Mine proposal and protecting the environment, waters, fish and fish habitat, grizzly and grizzly habitat and our constitutionally protected rights as First Peoples in our homelands. Once again, we thank the Minister of Environment Jim Prentice and the Federal Government for protecting the public interest and for upholding the rights of First Nations under the Canadian Constitution. Unfortunately, this dire threat to our people, our lands and our way of life as Tsilhqot’in people continues to this day.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has told affected First Nations, local residents and public interest groups that the review of the proposed Elmtree Gold Mine is on hold. As reported in regional media, Castle Resources needs to re-assess the economics of the project before proceeding with the development of its Environmental Impact Statement. Citizens of the area are not letting their guard down and they continue to resist the proposal. In September, they sent a letter to the company indicating their strong opposition to the project.

News release: The legacy of Goldcorp’s Marlin mine in Guatemala “could well be ecological devastation and impoverishment” finds a new study from Tufts University’s Global Development and Environment Institute (GDAE). When the long-term environmental risks of the open-pit gold and silver mine are put in the balance with economic gains, the institute finds the benefits to be “meager and short-lived,” especially for local communities.

There has been a strong reaction to the Federal Government's decision to initiate a mid-rung environmental assessment process for the most advanced project in Ontario's Ring of Fire. On October 17 the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency announced that Cliffs' chromite project would begin a comprehensive environmental assessment process.

News release: Canada’s Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor has failed in her first attempt to resolve a conflict with a Canadian mining company operating beyond our borders. The refusal of Excellon Resources Inc. (TSX: EXN) to participate in a dialogue process under Canada’s CSR Counsellor for the Extractive Sector underlines the serious difficulties facing workers and communities abroad in dealing with Canadian mining companies and underscores the inadequacy of this complaint mechanism.

News release: The Tsilhqot’in Nation, supported by BC and national chiefs, today called on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) and the federal government to reject the re-bid Prosperity mine project without further waste of time and tax dollars.

News release: Ivanhoe Philippines, Inc. has asked the Philippine Mines and Geosciences Bureau for a "withdrawal of the company's exploration permit applications (...) in Tablas Island."

News release: MiningWatch Canada learned today that Environment Canada has reneged on a May 2011 commitment to provide funding to the Canadian Environment Network (RCEN). A press release from the RCEN states that due to this decision it “was forced to lay off its staff and is on the verge of closing its doors and those of its 11 regional offices.”

News release: The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency recently announced that Cliffs’ proposed chromite mine, the first for a remote area of northern Ontario, will undergo a ‘comprehensive study’ environmental review despite the request of two First Nations councils and several non-governmental organizations for a public panel review.

Letter to the Editor: This week in a letter to the editor of Corporate Knights magazine, the Executive Director of the Panama's Environmental Advocacy Centre says that Toronto-based Inmet is using its inclusion on Corporate Knight's 2011 list of "Canada's Best 50 Corporate Citizens" as part of "a misleading public relations campaign." Although the award was purportedly designed to encourage Corporate Social Responsibility, he says that in this case, "[listing Inmet] has served to hinder best practices rather than promote them."