Mining and Social Responsibility
The SJC has been working in solidarity with the Movimiento de Trabajadores Campesinos (MTC) in their resistance to the Marlin Mine and other mines throughout Latin America. The SJC supports the rights of Indigenous communities to determine their own development.
Slide show about mining. [Assembled May 31, 2007]
Brief interactive quiz to test your knowledge of Canada's role in international mining. [February 6, 2007]
Presentation to the National Roundtables on Corporate Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Sector in Developing Countries by Rev. Ernest Schibli, Social Justice Committee [November 14, 2006]
Glamis Mine in Guatemala
"I wish to inform you that it is not possible to receive you on that date, because we do not receive visitors on Saturdays"
11 Jan 2005 "It is lamentable that the Guatemalans are to suffer anew violence on the part of security forces, who were intended to safeguard the interest of the civil population, defending a private industry..."
"As tensions rise and patience grows short, neither the company or government show signs of engaging those opposed to the mine, and the World Bank, having been informed of these problems since early December, has demonstrated no leadership or ability to address the situation..."
US–Canada gold mine sparks indigenous resistance; Rights defender speaks for indigenous people; The community fights back (interview with member of the Peasant Labour Movement of San Marcos) [PDF format]
Nov 2004 "The Frente por la Vida coalition asks that your government: halt further work on the Marlin mine pending the full and informed participation of local communities..."
5 Nov 2004 "The debate over mining should focus on the impacts of this activity. Rather than comparing a southern country with a northern country, the debate should address the reality of the situation in Guatemala ..."
4 Nov 2004 "I have been following the national debate in Guatemala on the impact of mining, and as several Canadian companies have been implicated in this debate, I think it would be useful to examine the Canadian mining experience..."
17 Sept. 2004 "What remains clear is that from now on we must impede, at all costs, any mining activity in our country. We must mobilize all of our forces to achieve this: from legal actions to peaceful resistance on the part of the communities. In ten years, if God still gives us life, we'll see who was right: the defenders of mining activity, convinced of its benefits, or those who oppose it, convinced by the terrible consequences that have been experienced and studied in other countries..."
June 2004 "IFC had received a letter from a local non-governmental organization (NGO) raising concerns about the project and requesting a three–month delay in consideration by IFC's Board. Staff had responded to the NGO the day before, refuting the allegations, and stating that the consultation had been carried out responsibly and properly..."External link; opens in new window.
"The IFC team reviewed the tailings dam designs and found it satisfactory. Furthermore, the company has engaged an independent review, as per IFC's Safety of Dams policy, to ensure that all applicable requirements are fulfilled..."