Oxfam Trailwalker Canada
Toronto, ON – May 26, 2009 – Forget Ironman. Forget the Amazing Race. Meet Oxfam Trailwalker, the world’s toughest team challenge. Making its North American debut in Ontario
the weekend of July 24th – 26th, 2009, Trailwalker is considered one of the most demanding outdoor physical challenges on Earth.
Eventual winners, "Team Body Battle" prepare at the starting point. "Team Body Battle" finished the course in 20 hours.
Starting at the historic Fort Willow Depot in Springwater, Ontario, teams of four hiked 100 challenging kilometers along the Ganaraska Trail System, ending at Wasaga Beach on the
shore of beautiful Georgian Bay. But that’s not all – each team had to cross the finish line – together – all under a 48 hour deadline.
The teams set off at the start line
Originating in Hong Kong in the 1980s as a training exercise of the elite military unit, the Queen’s Gurkhas, Oxfam Trailwalker has gained international recognition and now takes place
in Hong Kong, Australia, England, Japan, New Zealand, Belgium and for the first time this year, events are scheduled in The Netherlands, Ireland and Canada.
One participant gets stuck in the mud.
Recommending that teams not rest or sleep for more than 3 to 4 hours at a time, participants were given a maximum of 48 hours to complete the challenge. As well as requiring the utmost from each team member physically, each team also committed to raise a minimum of $2,500, in support of Oxfam’s community development and humanitarian relief efforts worldwide.
Oxfam Canada Trailwalker 2009
“Trailwalker is a one-of-a-kind event,” said Nicole Salmon, Director of Development at Oxfam Canada. “It offers people an incredibly satisfying personal achievement and is a great experience to share with friends and family, while helping those most in need.”
Trailwalker markers along the path ensured that no one got lost.
Trailwalker also offers unique personal growth and training opportunities for Canadian athletes and competitors, such as curlers Craig Savill and Brent Laing. As 2007 World Champions, Savill and Laing are currently in training for the National Trials in Edmonton, competing for the chance to represent Canada at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. “Trailwalker is the perfect training exercise for our team,” says Savill. “It gives us the opportunity to improve our athletic endurance and at the same time reinforces our ability to work as a team – supporting and relying on one another.”
Crossing the finish line, olympic curlers, Brent Laing and Craig Savill, used Trailwalkers as part of their training for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.
Hundreds of Canadian volunteers registered to support the event and help meet Oxfam’s goal of aiding in the lives of women, men and children living in poverty around the world. Globally, Oxfam Trailwalker is a positive force for change. The Trailwalker Hong Kong event currently sells out with almost 4,000 participants per year. “As the inaugural North American stop for Trailwalker, Canadians can be thrilled to join the prestigious ranks of host locations across the globe,” says Salmon. “While Canadians have a keen competitive edge, we are also kind and generous by nature. Trailwalker is the perfect opportunity for participants to achieve personal development while demonstrating compassion and support for those most in need.”
Oxfam Canada Trailwalker 2009
About Oxfam Trailwalker
Oxfam Trailwalker began in 1981 in Hong Kong, and has since grown into one of the world’s leading sporting challenges. In just over 20 years, Oxfam Trailwalker has become a major international fundraising event held in over eight countries. Since its inception, the event has raised millions of dollars internationally with thousands of people competing each year.
Oxfam Canada Trailwalker 2009
About Oxfam Canada
Oxfam Canada fights poverty and injustice in developing countries with a strong commitment to women’s rights and equality between women and men. Oxfam Canada is a member of Oxfam International, a federation of thirteen autonomous non-governmental organizations. Together, Oxfam works to tackle the root causes of poverty, social injustice and inequality. Founded in 1963, Oxfam Canada supports community programs that develop leadership, self-reliance and active citizenship.
Oxfam Canada Trailwalker 2009
Approaching the finish line!
Exhausted participants approaching the Finish line.
Oxfam Canada Trailwalker 2009
Oxfam Canada Trailwalker 2009
The last team crosses the finish line
Participants celebrate their acheivements after crossing the finish line.
See more of my photos from Oxfam Trailwalker Canada here
find out more about Oxfam Canada
Global Day of Action Against Open Pit Mining
Solidarity protests were held in Toronto and Montreal in Canada, in Melbourne, Canberra and Newcastle in Australia, as well as in Bankok, Thailand, and Mexico City, Mexico, as part of the Global Day of Action Against Open-Pit Mining. These protests targeted Canadian Embassies, specific mining companies’ offices, as well as the Toronto Stock Exchange, to show their solidarity with communities around the world that have been impacted by Canadian mining projects.
The following images are from the protest outside the Toronto Stock Exchange, and the text is from the information handouts that participants were handing out to passers by:
Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil, and See No Evil at the Toronto Stock Exchange.
“The Canadian economy funds projects to the shame of each Canadian. There are no human rights requirements to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Canadian government supports these companies even as human rights workers are killed and communities poisioned. Canada is getting a bad name from these widespread human and environmental catastrophes.”
The colorful group of protesters engaged the rush-hour traffic passing by in discussions to let them know about the increasingly negative reputation Canada is getting around the world because of the actions of Canadian mining companies.
Some of the cases the protesters highlighted from around the world included:
The Philippines
“Political killings of left-leaning activists, clergy and journalists in the Philippines have been escalating steadily under the Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and have been linked to open criticism of large-scale mining in the Philippines. The human-rights group Karapatan estimates that over one thousand activists have been killed since Macapagal-Arroyo came to power in 2001. Nearly all of the cases remain unresolved.”
We Resist Canadian Mining -- A message of support for the Global Day of Resistance Against Open-pit Mining from Timuay Boy Anoy, the traditional chieftain of the Subanon land in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte where TVI Pacific is operating a large scale open pit mine in the Philippines.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
“Eight Canadian mining companies have been called to account for commercial activities that have contributed to conflict in the war-torn country. It is estimated that 3-5 million people have died in the Congo in recent years due to the war. Moreover, Canadian companies have been implicated in providing logistical support to the Congolese Armed Forces.”
Congo bribes
Trust me with your money, says the corporate clown.
Burma
“The largest single mining investment in Burma, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., is a company registered in the Yukon to take advantage of Canada’s generous tax breaks for foreign exploration and development. Neither the mining industry itself, the Canadian stock exchanges, nor the laws governing corporations in Canada, currently provide any safeguards against the impacts of irresponsible mining on communities and the environment in conflict-torn countries like Burma. Reports from people in the area indicate severe environmental damage and the use of forced labour in building roads to the mine.”
Handing over some information to workers inside the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Ecuador
The Canadian junior mining company Copper Mesa is currently facing litigation for perpetuating human rights abuses by hiring paramilitary to intimidate local farmers and indigenous peoples who opposed mineral exploration of their lands. The TSX is also named in the suit and is currently being sued for $3 billion for allowing Copper Mesa to raise funds on the exchange despite prior knowledge of Copper Mesa’s human rights violations in Ecuador.
See no evil at the Toronto Stock Exchange
Honduras
“Canada is the only nation to support the recent coup by Honduras military. President Zelaya had proposed nationalizing mineral resources in his country, a position extremely unpopular with Canadian mining interests in the country. The Canadian company Goldcorp, has been linked to human rights abuses and ecological destruction in the country. Goldcorp has received nearly one billion dollars from Canadian Pension Plan subsidies. ”
Stop Goldcorp's repression in Central America.
Papua New Guinea
“Allegations of rapes, beatings and killings of community members by Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) security forces have been prevalent for at least a decade. In April, 2009 security forces burned the 300 houses of local indigenous peoples to the ground – these villagers have claimed these lands as traditional territory and were not consulted properly about mining development. Moreover, The PJV mine empties millions of tons of tailings directly into the nearby 800 km-long river system. Norway’s Government Pension Fund has dropped its shares in Canada’s Barrick Gold as a result of Barrick’s waste disposal practices at Porgera.”
This is happening right now in Papua New Guinea
Canada
“Mining in Canada has faced increased resistance from communities in Canada, particularity from First Peoples who have witnessed the destruction of their lands and culture with mining development. In particular, tar sands developments have created the largest ecological disaster on earth.”
Uranium too hot to handle ... in cottage country
Ramara & Kawartha Lakes (Ontario) Against Mining
Mining our planet is for once only, toxic tailing ponds leak for ever.
Meanwhile in Mexico City, activists are marking the first Global Day of Action Against Open-Pit mining with a 36-hour sit-in outside the Canadian Embassy building in Mexico City.
“The sit-in is a nonviolent protest to demand that the Canadian government intervene in the case of New Gold’s Cerro de San Pedro mine”, said FAO member Juan Carlos Ruiz Guadalajara. “The mine is still operating despite having lost its environmental permit in a recent court ruling. We are reminding the embassy that we will continue to raise our voices against corruption, human rights abuses and environmental destruction”.
Capital Rule$ - TSX, CPP, and EDC fund Destruction
"Hey wanna make some money?" Asks the corporate clown, "invest in my mining company and we'll all be rich! Rich! They don't even have rules for us, so we can get away with anything!" It's Awesome!!"
"I believe in the Harper dollar!" says the corporate clown
Trust me with your money
The colorful group of protesters engaged the rush-hour traffic passing by in discussions to let them know about the increasingly negative reputation Canada is getting around the world because of the actions of Canadian mining companies.
"Mining gold is completely unecessary!" says the toxic bride sitting on a pile of toxic waste. "80% of newly mined gold is used for jewelry!"
"But I have never seen any evidence"
no comment
"But no one ever told me"
Learn More from Organizations in Support:
photojournalist Alex Felipe
Legal Rights and Natural Resources Centre, Philippines
Frente Amplio Opositor, Mexico
Timuay Anoy and the Subanon indigenous communities, Philippines
EVENT: Global Day of Action Against Mining
Simultaneous rallies are being organized in several cities around to world for July 22nd to raise awareness about mining issues as part of a global day of action against mining.
The following call-out from the community of Cerro de San Pedro calling for the Global Day of Action Against Open-Pit Mining:
Protesters outside the shareholders meeting of Metallica Resources (now called New Gold) show their support for affected communities in Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico.
The methods and technology used in open-pit mining operations causes the destruction and exhaustion of the planet’s ecosystems. Removing forest cover, destroying soils, contaminating both running water and underground reservoirs, dividing communities, bribing officials, threatening, blackmailing, and violating human rights are all common practice for open-pit mining projects around the world.
Quit investing in violations of human rights
In contrast with its self-proclaimed ‘environmental awareness’, Canada is the global leader in open-pit mining. Canadian-based transnational corporations (TNCs) control 51% of global mining capital and Mexico in particular had a big role to play in Canada’s rise to become the world mining champion.
Human rights above mining rights
The neoliberal policies implemented in Mexico since the mid-1980s, codified and consolidated by the creation of NAFTA, were of great importance for Canadian mining companies. The erosion of labour rights aside, it is the repression of environmental movements, increasing militarization and autocracy, and the forced eviction of entire communities that have allowed for the establishment and survival of mining projects.
Mining companies must stop extraction
As of 2007, the Mexican government has granted 438 mining concessions, most of them going to Canadian companies. In the state of Chiapas alone, 72 projects cover 727,435ha of land (slightly larger than the Palestinian Occupied Territories). Half of this territory is now owned by two Canadian companies: Linear Gold and the Frontier Development Group. The territory passed into private ownership without the knowledge, let alone consent, of the communities located there, most of whom are peasants and indigenous people. The same is happening in the states of Zacatecas, Chihuahua, Sonora, Oaxaca, and Coahuila.
Rape of mother earth
A similar fate awaits much of the world. Canadian mining companies are at work in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, Brasil, Panama, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Philippines, Surinam, Ghana, Congo, Tanzania, Sudan, Zambia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the United States, and Canada itself!
Mining Scmining!
*It is for these reasons that we call for a Global Day of Action Against Open-pit Mining on July 22nd. Given Canada’s leading role in the global mining industry, we call for peaceful demonstrations in front of Canadian embassies across the world in order to show our condemnation of these mining projects that only leave behind desolation, poverty, and death for our people while enriching the few.*
…
Affected communities around the world are reaching out to Canadians to reject the harms done to them by Canadian mining companies.
Peaceful rallies are now being planned in response to their calls in Toronto, Montreal, London, Mexico, Australia, the Philippines, and more.
In Toronto:
Wednesday 22, 2009
4:30-7:00
130 King Street West (outside the Toronto Stock Exchange)
For more on the harmful effects of the global mining industry see:
EVENT: Report from Papua New Guinea and ProtestBarrick Speaking Tour
There is a human rights crisis taking place right now in Papua New Guinea (PNG), in a region affected by the biggest gold mining company in the world: Toronto-based Barrick Gold.
The indigenous Ipili people in Porgera, PNG, are under attack.
Jethro Tulin, of the Porgera-based human rights group Akali Tange Association, traveled to Canada in early May to participate in Barrick's Annual General Meeting to testify to the human rights crisis and environmental degradation caused by Barrick's presence in Laigap-Porgera, PNG.
Report from Jethro Tulin of the Akali Tange Association, Papua New Guinea on human rights abuses by Barrick Gold, and report from journalists Sandra Cuffe and Allan Lissner on the 8th sessions of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the ProtestBarrick Speaking Tour.
| Host: |
Protest Barrick, Toronto Mining Support Group, Sandra Cuffe
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| Date: |
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
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| Time: |
7:00pm - 9:00pm
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| Location: |
OISE, Room 2212, University of Toronto
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| Street: |
252 Bloor West
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| City/Town: |
Toronto, ON
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| Phone: |
6473427995
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| Email: |
Jethro Tulin, from Porgera, Papua New Guinea, confronts Barrick Gold
A State of Emergency was declared on March 22, in Papua New Guinea and is still in effect in the region surrounding Barrick’s “Porgera” mine. While Jethro traveled in Canada, the PNG government sent 200 heavily armed soldiers and police into the Porgera area. The State of Emergency was declared in Porgera based on reports presented by Barrick (PNG) Limited, according to Laigap Porgera Member of Parliament Phillip Kikala.
Meanwhile, reports and photos received from Porgera landowners show how PNP troops have burnt down more than 300 homes in villages bordering the mine site. Many of these homes belonged to the indigenous landowners who own a 2.5% stake in the mine and who have been requesting that Barrick Gold resettle the local population due to the destruction and contamination of their traditional lands. Barrick Gold has refused to negotiate resettlement, citing high costs.
For more information:
Indigenous Leaders Confront Barrick Gold I
Indigenous Leaders Confront Barrick Gold II: Official Statements
Jethro Tulin’s Statement at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
EVENT: Amnesty International Business and Human Rights Group
someone else's treasure
On Thursday, June 11th, I will be doing a presentation of my work on Someone Else’s Treasure at Amnesty International’s Business and Human Rights Group in Toronto.
| Date: |
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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| Time: |
6:30pm - 8:00pm
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| Location: |
Amnesty International Toronto Office
14 Dundonald St.,
1 block north of Wellesley, just east of Yonge.
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| City/Town: |
Toronto, ON
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EVENT: Someone Else’s Treasure now at Leonardo Galleries
Someone Else’s Treasure is now on display at Leonardo Galleries in Toronto.
The exhibition will be on display from May 25-31, 2009, accompanied by a lecture and slide presentation on Wednesday May 27, at 7pm, where I will be presenting for the first time a new chapter in Someone Else’s Treasure about the growing global resistance to the Canadian mining industry.
This lecture is a free public event
Leonardo Galleries
133 Avenue Road
Toronto ON M5R 2H7
(416)924-7296
EVENT: Leonardo Galleries
Leonardo Galleries presents Someone Else’s Treasure, a multimedia documentary project by Allan Lissner.
The exhibition will be on display from May 25-31, 2009, accompanied by Lissner’s lecture and slide presentation on Wednesday May 27, at 7pm.
This lecture is a free public event; however, seating is limited and registration required. To reserve a spot, RSVP to milka@leonardogalleries.com or info@leonardogalleries.com
Leonardo Galleries
133 Avenue Road
Toronto ON M5R 2H7
(416)924-7296
EVENT: Protest Barrick Gold’s Shareholder Meeting
Community representatives of affected indigenous communities in Papua New Guinea, Chile and Australia traveled great distances to come to Toronto last year to speak out against the world's largest gold mining corporation, Barrick Gold, regarding their gold mining operations where they live.
——————————————————————————————————————————————–
Affected Indigenous communities from Papua New Guinea and Chile are coming to Toronto to give Barrick Gold a piece of their mind. Come out and support them! Rally at the annual general meeting of Barrick Gold on Wed. April 29th.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 29, 9am
WHERE: Metro Convention Centre, 255 Front St.
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protestors gathered outside of Barrick Gold's annual general meeting last year to show their solidarity with the affected indigenous community representatives who were inside the meeting voicing their complaints to the company shareholders.
EVENT: The Question of Sustainability
The Question of Sustainability
“The Question of Sustainability: An Examination of the Canadian Mining Industry” will be a one day conference on Sunday, April 26 focusing on the Canadian mining industry in the context of economic, ecological, and cultural sustainability.
It will feature speakers from Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, Chile, the Congo and Peru, as well as many First Nations speakers and academics from Canada.”The Question of Sustainability” is a conference dedicated to examining the Canadian mining industry through the lens of sustainability within ecosystems, culture, and economics.
This conference brings together indigenous people from the global south and the global north, and serves to address some of the complex social, political and environmental issues that relate to the imposition of extractive industries on traditional cultures.
Major issues include water use and contamination, human rights violations by Canadian companies operating abroad, the question of corporate social responsibility, and the autonomy and preservation of traditional cultures.
Moderated by Judy Rebick
$10 (slide scale) to cover cost of meals; free for students. Donations welcome.
venue: Earth Sciences 1050 at the University of Toronto, and 3 breakout rooms in the same building. The auditorium can serve as a fourth breakout room and the hallway (with seats) a fifth if necessary.
Hosts: Science for Peace, Students Against Climate Change / Toronto Mining Support Group, Aboriginal Students Association of York University
Endorsed by Amnesty International
The Question of Sustainability
Schedule
10:00 a.m. - Introductions, opening ceremony
10:30 a.m. - Open plenary speaker
———
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - FIRST BREAKOUT SESSION
- Resource Economics in developing countries: Jethro Tulin (Porgera Mine, PNG) and Salimah Valiani (researcher on labour migration)
- Mining in the Congo: Bodia Bavuidi and Martin Kijazi (Congolese activists)
- Indigenous Issues and Mining: Arthur Petahtegoose (Whitefish Lake First Nation), Sergio Campusano (President of the Diaguita Huascoaltinos, Chile), Tsering Lama (Students for a Free Tibet Canada), Chris Reid (lawyer for KI nation and Ardoch Algonquin)
- Mining and Health: Mike Mercredi (Fort Chipewan), Willi Nolan (International Institute of Concern for Public Health), Grahame Russell (RightsAction)
- In Defense of Land, Water and Life: Women Mobilize for Justice in Mining Affected Communities: Tanya Roberts-Davies (International Women and Mining Network), Lorraine Rekmans (Elliot Lake Women’s Group), Bodia Bavuidi (Congolese activist)
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. lunch break
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.: Concurrent with lunch: Role-playing workshop with Ardoch Algonquin leadership begins – Limited space available, so sign-up on the day of the conference!
2 p.m.-4 p.m. – SECOND BREAKOUT SESSION
- Human Rights: Issues with mine security: Jethro Tulin (Killings in PNG), Justin Podur (Colombia-Canada Free Trade Agreement), Malcolm Rogge (community resistance to mercenaries in Ecuador), Veronica Islas (FOA (Broad Opposition Front, Mexico))
- ¡MesoAmerica Resiste! presentation by Beehive Collective
- Funding the destruction: TSX, Pension Funds, and Corporate Welfare: Cory Wanless (Klippensteins, Barristers & Solicitors), Grahame Russell (Rights Action), and Cleve Higgins (McGill researcher)
- Mining and Water: Allan Lissner (photojournalist covering Philippines and Tanzania), Lorraine Rekmans (author, This Is My Homeland, about uranium mining near Elliot Lake.)
- Religious Perspectives on Mining: Rosalia Paiva (practitioner of Pachamama) and Stephen Scharper (Toronto Star columnist, Liberation Theology professor)
4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. – SOLUTIONS break-out session
*Popular Education* A discussion of how to build awareness within our communities about mining issues, in a way that engages people and builds off the knowledge that they already possess. Led by Willi Nolan and the Beehive Collective.
*Legal Battles* A discussion about the use of lawsuits as a way of demanding accountability within Canada and beyond. Led by Chris Reid (lawyer for the KI nation and the Ardoch Algonquin) and Cory Wanless (Klippensteins)
*Direct Action!* A discussion of how Direct Action is used in various campaigns. Led by Leah Henderson and Alex Hundert
*Shareholder Activism/Divestment* A discussion of different tactics engaging with shareholders, institutional holders, and “ethical” mutual funds. Led by William Sparks of the Ontario Council on International Cooperation (OCIC)
*Referendums and accessing International Institutions (recommended for affected communities!)* Learn first hand about successful community-based tactics to defending community rights against mining companies. Learn from first hand experiences about engaging the UN, the ILO and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Led by Ulises Garcia (Tamogrande Referendum, Peru), Grahame Russell (RightsAction), with input from Sergio Campusano (President of the Diaguita Huascoaltinos of Chile).
*CSR/legislation* A discussion of the CSR framework and current legislation related to mining issues.
———
5:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m. - Closing Plenary
_____________________
If you would like to table at the event or become a sponsor email indra@pantropy.net
EVENT: Ecojustice Conference
someone else's treasure
On Thursday April 16th, I will be doing a presentation of my work on Someone Else’s Treasure at York University’s Environmental Studies Building room HNES 101, from 12-1pm during York’s Ecojustice Conference.
| Date: |
Thursday, April 16, 2009
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| Time: |
12:00pm - 1:00pm
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| Location: |
HNES 101 - York University (Environmental Studies Building)
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| City/Town: |
Toronto, ON
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EVENT: St. Mary’s High School, Kitchener
someone else's treasure
I will be doing two presentations of my work on Someone Else’s Treasure at St. Mary’s High School in Kitchener, Ontario, on Wednesday, April 15th, as part of their “Week for a Better World.”
EVENT: The Question of Sustainability Conference
“The Question of Sustainability: An Examination of the Canadian Mining Industry” will be a one day conference on Sunday, April 26 focusing on the Canadian mining industry in the context of economic, ecological, and cultural sustainability.
It will feature speakers from Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, Chile, the Congo and Peru, as well as many First Nations speakers and academics from Canada.”The Question of Sustainability” is a conference dedicated to examining the Canadian mining industry through the lens of sustainability within ecosystems, culture, and economics.
This conference brings together indigenous people from the global south and the global north, and serves to address some of the complex social, political and environmental issues that relate to the imposition of extractive industries on traditional cultures.
Major issues include water use and contamination, human rights violations by Canadian companies operating abroad, the question of corporate social responsibility, and the autonomy and preservation of traditional cultures.
Moderated by Judy Rebick
$10 (slide scale) to cover cost of meals; free for students. Donations welcome.
venue: Earth Sciences 1050 at the University of Toronto, and 3 breakout rooms in the same building. The auditorium can serve as a fourth breakout room and the hallway (with seats) a fifth if necessary.
Hosts: Science for Peace, Students Against Climate Change / Toronto Mining Support Group, Aboriginal Students Association of York University
Endorsed by Amnesty International
The Question of Sustainability
here is the tentative schedule of the conference:
10am coffee and introductions
10:30 Open Plenary Speaker
11am - 1pm FIRST BREAKOUT SESSION
- Historic Perspectives on Mining
- Mining in the Congo
- Water Issues and Mining: Tar Sands, Gold and Uranium Mining
- Resource Economics in developing countries
1pm - 2pm lunch break
2pm-4pm SECOND BREAKOUT SESSION
- Human Rights: Issues with mine security: Tanzania, Congo, and Papua New Guinea
- ¡MesoAmerica Resiste! presentation by Beehive Collective
- Indigenous Issues and Mining: Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, Tar Sands
- Funding the destruction: TSX, Pension Funds, and Corporate Welfare
4:15 - 5:15pm SOLUTIONS break-out session
- *CSR/legislation:* A discussion of the CSR framework and current legislation related to mining issues. A private members’ bill (C300), introduced by Liberal MP John McKay in Feb 2009, will be discussed. This bill imposes tighter controls on the provision of government support to Canadian extractive companies. Also discussed will be the Tar Sand Commission recently proposed by the Federal government.
- *Popular Education:* A discussion of how to build awareness within our communities about mining issues, in a way that engages people and builds off the knowledge that they already possess.
- *Legal Battles/United Nations: *A discussion about the use of lawsuits and the UN as a way of demanding corporate accountability.
- *Direct Action! *A discussion of how Direct Action is used in various campaigns.
- *Shareholder Activism/Divestment:* A discussion of different tactics engaging with shareholders, institutional holders, and “ethical” mutual funds.
5:30-7:30 Closing Plenary
EVENT: International Development Association
I will be giving yet another presentation of my work on Someone Else’s Treasure on Thursday March 19th at the International Development Association at York University.
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Founders Junior Common Room, located on the basement floor of Founders College, York University.
EVENT: Toronto Guild for Photographic Art
I’ll be doing another presentation of my work on Someone Else’s Treasure on Tuesday March 17th, at the Toronto Guild for Photographic Arts. The Guild is located at the First Unitarian Church at 175 St Clair Avenue West, Toronto, ON M4V 1P7 - (416) 924-9654
Hope to see you there!
Aboriginal Awareness Days & Pow Wow at York University
I’ll be doing another presentation tomorrow with Sakura Saunders of ProtestBarrick.net at York University’s Aboriginal Awareness Days & Pow Wow.
When: March 6, 2009
Where: Student Centre, Keele Campus, 4700 Keele St.
Part of this presentation will focus on the indiginous Mangyan community of Kisluyan in Mindoro, Philippines.
Here are a few pictures from Kisluyan:
Ailen, the school teacher in Kisluyan.
Maximo, the village elder, together with his grandchildren.
EVENT: International Community Resistance to Canadian Mining
Protesters make some noise outside Metallica Resources' annual shareholders meeting to show their solidarity with communities resisting the companies' mine in Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico.
Just a reminder that I’ll be giving a presentation on my work on Someone Else’s Treasure at the University of Toronto tomorrow together with Sakura Saunders, editor of ProtestBarrick.net, and Christian Pena, a documentary film maker working on a film about the controversial Pascua Lama Gold Mine in Chile.
More information here.
Hope to see you there.
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
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| Time: |
7:00pm - 10:00pm
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| Location: |
O.I.S.E. Rm 2211
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| Street: |
252 Bloor Street West (above St. George subway)
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| City/Town: |
Toronto, ON
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Investing in Violations of Human Rights
Left, protests outside GoldCorp's annual shareholders meeting last May tell shareholders to stop investing in human rights violations. Right, a demonstration outside Ontario's Queens Park legislative building demanding changes to Ontario's Mining Act in order to protect human rights over mining rights.
Throughout this week the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference is taking place in Toronto. This is the biggest mining industry event of the year and ProtestBarrick.net and the Toronto Mining Support Group are organizing a demonstration outside:
WHAT: Protest the PDAC conference
WHERE: Toronto Convention Centre (South Bldg)
255 Front Street West, Toronto, ON
WHEN: Wednesday, March 4 11am - 2pm
For more information on why the mining industry is being described as “Canada’s number one contribution to global injustice”, see Someone Else’s Treasure
- Power
EVENT: International Community Resistance to Gold Mining
A multimedia presentation by several international experts on the experience of indigenous communities who are resisting the world’s largest gold mine, Barrick Gold:
* “Someone Else’s Treasure.” Photos and presentation by international mining photojournalist Allan Lissner from Tanzania and the Phillipines and last year’s Barrick AGM and shareholder activism around it. Interviews with and photo of indigenous speakers from last year’s Barrick AGM.
* New film footage and presentation by Christian Pena, who has spent the last two years making a documentary film about Pascua Lama, Barrick’s most controversial mine, on the border of Chile and Argentina.
* Presentation by Sakura Saunders, editor of Protest Barrick and organizer in solidarity with indigenous shareholder and community activism around Barrick’s Annual General Meeting, May 6th. Sakura will give update on the recent divestment by Norway, the legal victory for Lake Cowal, and other news from affected communities engaged in resistance around the world.
* A local indigenous speaker on the connection between local mining struggles (e.g. AAFN, KI), indigenous solidarity struggles, and the struggles of indigenous communities abroad.
This event is to build up to the Barrick Gold AGM in May, at which indigenous speakers from the around the world will present their case to the Barrick shareholders and Canadian public. This event is organized by Toronto Mining Support Group, which formed last year to provide support for shareholder activism against open-pit mining.
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
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| Time: |
7:00pm - 10:00pm
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| Location: |
O.I.S.E. Rm 2211
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| Street: |
252 Bloor Street West (above St. George subway)
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| City/Town: |
Toronto, ON
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| : |
| Phone: |
6473427995
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| Email: |
____________________________________
Basic issues
Human Rights
Human rights abuse used to be the work of repressive governments, but increasingly corporations are getting into the act. Barrick has benefited from a number of these abuses. In late 2005, Canada’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs lamented that “Canada does not yet have laws to ensure that the activities of Canadian mining companies in developing countries conform to human rights standards, including the rights of workers and indigenous peoples.
Indigenous/Community Rights
An estimated 50 percent of mining operations occur on native lands. For many indigenous people, who often rely on their environment for food and necessities, mining threatens not only their livelihood, but also their traditional way of life. Their lands tend to be vulnerable to encroachment because of their lack of power within their country’s political system; their land and water rights are often ignored while their resources are exploited and their environments destroyed.
Environment
Gold mining is a highly consumptive and environmentally destructive industry. In addition to the landscapes that is destroys, gold mining (especially open pit gold mining) creates massive amounts of toxic waste that often causes acid mine drainage and heavy metal contamination.
Gold mining and metal processing also uses vast amount of water and energy, often subsidized. It also utilizes dangerous chemicals such as cyanide in its leaching processes, posing a threat to local water systems.
Water Depletion
Water depletion is a major negative consequence of gold mining. The large amount of water required to run a gold mining operation exacerbates its impact on local communities, many of which are already experiencing drought.
Acid Mine Drainage
Open pit mining creates great waste for a small yield. On average, it takes 79 tons of waste to extract one ounce of gold, according to a conservative estimate by the No Dirty Gold campaign, a project of EarthWorks and Oxfam. The process involves grinding up ore, and then exposing it to cyanide in order to extract the gold. Sulfides in the crushed rocks interact with air and water to create sulfuric acid, which in turn creates acid mine drainage (AMD). In and of itself, AMD is harmful to ecosystems because it makes water too acidic to support life. Additionally, the sulfuric acid in AMD leaches out other substances from the waste ore, such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury, which can have disastrous health effects, and can contaminate both air and water. Gold mining has been linked to 96 percent of the world’s arsenic emissions.
Cyanide
Cyanide is the chemical-of-choice for mining companies to extract gold from crushed ore, despite the fact that leaks or spills of this chemical are extremely toxic to fish, plant life and human beings. Cyanide is a deadly chemical, used in the gas chambers of the Second World War and on death row in the United States between 1930-1980. The chemical has caused havoc in water systems across the world with over 30 spills in the last five years.
Regulation/ Legal Issues
Canada, where Barrick is based, is home to 60 percent of the world’s mining corporations, which run operations across the globe. Despite being a leader in this industry, Canada has not taken the lead on mediating or taking responsibility for the behavior of their corporations abroad.
Labor
Gold mines are dangerous for both the people surrounding them and the people who work them. Already, 50 people have died working construction on the Pascua Lama project, strikes in Peru have been met with violent police repression, and mine workers in Russia have been trapped with fires in underground mines that are rife with environmental violations.
Economic Development
Mining Corporations will often claim that environmentalists oppose mining operations at the expense of the economic development of the communities they purport to represent. The reality of mining, however, often conflicts with this false dichotomy. Mining often relies heavily on government subsidies for water and energy, and the royalties that mining company’s pay are often significantly less than other industries. In this section you will find testimonies and articles that reveal the true nature of the “economic development” that mining produces.
EVENT: Presentation at Amnesty International’s “Water: A Human Right?” conference
I’ll be giving a short presentation at Amnesty International’s “Water: A Human Right?” conference this Saturday. There are more presentations in Toronto coming up as well…
Amnesty International
Toronto Business & Human Rights group
hosts an exploration of the role of business in respecting
Water as a Human Right
Co-presented by
Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education, OISE, University of Toronto, Professor Margrit Eichler
Students Against Climate Change, U of T
Rotary District 7070 Clean Water Committee &
the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group
Endorsed by
Science for Peace
| Date: |
Saturday, February 28, 2009
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| Time: |
9:30am - 4:00pm
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| Location: |
Ontario Studies in Education (OISE) Main Auditorium
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| Street: |
252 Bloor St. West
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| City/Town: |
Toronto, ON
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| : |
| Phone: |
4163639933
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| mail: |
Opening remarks by Prof. Margrit Eichler, Dept. of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education, OISE.
Maude Barlow, recently appointed UN Senior Advisor on Water, will be the keynote speaker. She brings her broad perspective and vast knowledge about this common substance that most of us take for granted. Ms. Barlow will be available to sign copies of her latest book, Blue Covenant. (http://www.canadians.org/water)
Dr. Ron Denham, Chair, Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG), will describe the impact of clean water and sanitation on community development and the challenges we face in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goal # 7: By 2015 reduce by 50% the proportion of people without access to safe water and sanitation. (http://www.wasrag.org)
Afternoon break-out sessions will provide a chance to explore an area of particular interest:
• Robert Lovelace, Paula Sherman, Co-chief Ardoch Algonquin - Indigenous Peoples’ Water Concerns (http://www.aafna.ca)
• Ben Powless, Sect’y of the Int’l Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change – Climate Change (http://www.international-alliance.org/unfccc.htm)
• Rotary Club Panel - Best Practices in Water and Sanitation projects (www.wasrag.org)
• Paul York (Toronto Mining Support Group), Christian Peña (The Pascua Lama Project), Allan Lissner (Someone Else’s Treasure), Sakura Saunders (Protest Barrick.net) - Mining and Water
http://someoneelsestreasure.blogspot.com/
http://www.protestbarrick.net
http://studentsagainstclimatechange.blogspot.com/
• Lauren Acorn, UNA-Canada & Youth4Water - session especially for youth & youth workers (http://www.unac.org/righttowater/index.asp)
We will also network with local Toronto action groups involved with water issues. Confirmed organizations are: Council of Canadians, Rotary Club, Students for Bhopal, Youth4Water Ripple Effect, Students Against Climate Change/Toronto Mining Support Group, Lake Ontario Waterkeepers, Sanitation and Water Action Network, and Amnesty International BHR.
Please join us for a day of learning, energy and activism as we bring together a wide array of specialists who will help us navigate the waters.
Cost: Free!
Lunch included
RSVP Required!: business@aito.ca by February 21, 2009
