EVENT: The Question of Sustainability

Comment: just thought it was an interesting piece since it is about Canada's mining practice!

“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

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

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)

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)

*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.

Event blog
http://underminingsustainability.wordpress.com/

http://allan.lissner.net/?p=1287