LandKeepers News Archive
Ecuador: Canadian organizations outline mining impacts in their country
May 13 2009 | News Articles | Servindi
Ecuador: Canadian organizations outline mining impacts in their country
Servindi, May 11, 2009 .
Different Canadian organizations affirmed that mining activity in their country violates the rights of indigenous peoples and contradicted the position of Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, who has been promoting the “Canadian model”.
“The Ecuadorian government seeks to justify mine development on the grounds that such activity will be socially and environmentally responsible, using the example of mining in Canada,” expressed the organizations.
During a briefing, the Forest Peoples Program, Ardoch Lake Alogonquin First Nation, and Nak’azdli First Nation representatives described the threat posed by this initiative of the Ecuadorian president.
“In Canada, mining also leads to serious levels of environmental pollution and violates the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, creating an irreversible impact on ecosystems,” they said.
It is estimated that Canada’s mining industry generates one million tons of waste rock and 950,000 tons of other waste per day, totaling 650 million tons of waste produced annually.
In the same vein, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the Legal Network for the Defence of the Amazon, the Pachamama Fundation, and Ecological Action noted that, “Various indigenous nations in Canada are resisting mining activities on their land due to the severe environmental damage they generate.”
It should be mentioned that some days ago the Ecuadorian president announced that indigenous representatives from Canada will arrive in June to explain the benefits of mining development using techniques that minimize environmental impact.
“Canada has perhaps the world’s best mining. We want Canadian mining investments come with the highest environmental standards,” he said.
“Indigenous people in Canada have benefited greatly from mining; a delegation will explain how mining is developed there,” the president added.
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