Strategic Action: Call upon Conservative Government to heed SCFAIT report on Mining
8 March 2006
The SJC's Central America/ Mexico subcommittee is asking for your assistance in advancing the rights of Guatemalan Indigenous people who experience the deleterious effects of Canadian-owned mines operating in their midst. We ask you to send a letter of support for the Standing Committee's recommendations to the new Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Peter McKay and, if convenient, a copy to your own Member of Parliament.
The Issue
Last year the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (SCFAIT) recommended, that the Canadian government adopt legal measures to monitor and hold accountable Canadian-owned mining companies to international human rights standards in their overseas operations. In particular, the Committee urged the government to:
"Put in place stronger incentives to encourage Canadian mining companies to conduct their activities outside of Canada in a socially and environmentally responsible manner and in conformity with international human rights standards. Measures in this area must include making Canadian government support - such as export and project financing and services offered by Canadian missions abroad - conditional on companies meeting clearly defined corporate social responsibility and human rights standards, particularly through the mechanism of human rights impact assessments;"
and
"Establish clear legal norms in Canada to ensure that Canadian companies and residents are held accountable when there is evidence of environmental and/or human rights violations associated with the activities of Canadian mining companies;"
Readers of the Upstream Journal know that the SJC has been promoting a public exposure campaign around the activities of the World Bank-funded Marlin mine in Guatemala. We were disturbed by the strong position that the Canadian embassy in Guatemala took in favor of the mine despite the opposition of many indigenous people living in the vicinity of the mine, the Guatemalan environmental community and the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church. In addition, we deplored the fact that the Canadian delegate to the World Bank apparently voted in favor of a $45 million loan to Glamis for the mine.
The current Canadian ambassador and bureaucrats in Ottawa seem to have distanced themselves somewhat from the former ambassador's position. However, policy on mining should not be left to someone's whim, especially since Canada plays such a large role in this industry. The issue is too important and there is a growing number of disputes between Canadian mining companies and indigenous peoples.
While our previous government did promise that there would be a series of roundtables to discuss the report, we now have a new government and a new minister of Foreign Affairs with their own agendas. So, we believe it important that Canadians express ourselves on this issue.
Our Request
Therefore, we are inviting you to send a personal hand-written or typed letter by regular mail to the Minister with a copy to your own Member of Parliament. These seem to be more effective than form letters or email messages. Letters sent to the House of Commons do not require postage; letters to Foreign Affairs do.
Your letter should contain the following points:
1. The government should take another look at the SCFAIT report and follow its recommendations, particularly those mentioned above.
2. People affected by the Marlin Mine were not adequately consulted before the mine was constructed;
3. Many Guatemalans are opposed to the mine on social, environmental and human rights grounds;
4. Decisions on whether Canada should or should not support a mine such as this ought to be based on clear government standards, as called for by the SCFAIT report.
Addresses:
Hon. Peter McKay,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Lester B. Pearson Bldg.
125 Sussex St.,
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
(name of MP),
House of Commons,
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
P.S. We have prepared a public presentation on this issue. Should you be part of a Montreal-area group that would like a presentation, please write Ernie at ernie@s-j-c.net or call (514)933-6797.