Parliament has called on the Government of Canada to take action to end the devastating social and environmental impacts of Canadian mining operations overseas.
A recent Parliamentary report calls on the Government to: (i) stop using taxpayer money to support destructive Canadian mining projects abroad; (ii) hold Canadian mining companies legally accountable for environmental and human rights violations in other countries, and; (iii) force the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to respect international human rights standards.
The Government has about 60 days left to respond and, not surprisingly, it would like nothing more than to sweep the report under the carpet. So, like most of the good things that happen, the changes demanded will only take place as the result of many people’s efforts. Our participation is needed, as always, to pressure the Government to adopt Parliament’s recommendations and to address ongoing international scandals associated with the Canadian mining industry.
What can we do to help make this happen? The websites of Friends of the Earth Canada and Mining Watch have a lot of info on these issues and ways to take action.