Canadian companies overseas

[jacee]

Canada's reputation overseas is suffering from mining operations that destroy livelihoods of local people and often displace communities, supported by questionable government policing and military actions against indigenous populations and sometimes brutal private security hired by the mining company.

Harper is finally paying attention:

Feds move gingerly toward protecting 'Canada brand' in foreign mining operations

OTTAWA - It's taken almost a decade of loud, often unwelcome advocacy, but the federal government appears to finally recognize that Canada's international brand needs a little spit and polish.

...

For the first time, the federal government is

threatening to withdraw financial and political support from Canadian companies that don't live up to its social responsibility ideals.

For non-governmental organizations that have been fielding mining development horror stories for years, it's a start.

A revamped, corporate social responsibility counsellor will screen foreign community complaints about mining operations and companies that refuse to co-operate with the counsellor will lose government support.

MiningWatch Canada began advocating for poor communities hurt by Canadian mining operations abroad in 1999 and spokeswoman Catherine Coumans says there used to be shocked disbelief that Canada's Boy Scout self-image could be tarnished by poor corporate behaviour.

"Of course they won't say in public there's a big problem," Coumans says of today's government."

But to see a Conservative government like this one say, 'Look, we need to put things in place like a CSR counsellor, we need to have a penalty like withholding financial and political support' you don't do that if you think there's no problem."

Why do mining companies deserve to feed at the public trough anyway?

And why do they need to be "threatened" in order to operate in a socially responsible manner?

Do we provide immigration opportunities for people displaced and impoverished by Canadian mining companies? Should we?

It's not a small problem:

1,200 Canadian mining companies operate more than 8,000 properties in over 100 countries, with 35 per cent of global exploration budgets coming from Canada.

Edited January 3, 2015 by jacee

[Michael Hardner]

http://www.miningwatch.ca/es/node/6720

We represent and support communities that have resisted the binational Pascua Lama project in the Andean cordillera for more than ten years. Since project construction began in 2009, the Huasco Valley community in Chile has become increasingly convinced that contrary to company promises, the project will bring only death and destruction:

1. Barrick fined: Chilean authorities have determined that Barrick is non-compliant with a formal commitment to protect glaciers and have fined the company for its misconduct.

2. Drought: The Huasco Valley, located on the edge of a desert, depends on glaciers for its water resources. Communities link the loss of a local river to the destruction of glaciers.

3. Pollution: Pascua Lama will double the quantity of cyanide imported into Chile. Barrick’s El Indio mine caused irreparable pollution of local waters with arsenic and mercury. Agricultural producers in Huasco fear that their valley will suffer a similar fate.

4. Worker deaths: 16 workers have died, on just the Chilean side, since Barrick began its operations. The most recent death was only recognized by Barrick when local pressure made the news impossible to contain.

5. Untenable tax agreement: Under pressure from Peter Munk and Aaron Regent, the presidents of Chile and Argentina finalized a tax agreement for the project in just one week. Negotiations had languished for more than three years. However, Argentina has failed to fulfil institutional commitments made under the agreement, which are opposed by its citizens.

6. Multi-million dollar public relations campaign: In March 2011, Barrick initiated a nation-wide publicity campaign on TV, newspapers and radio to promote its “responsible mining.” Campaign inaccuracies and omissions hid the true impacts of the Pascua Lama operations.

If Barrick truly seeks to act responsibly, it should halt actions, such as those described above, that threaten nature and human rights. Pascua Lama is not welcome on our land. Corruption promoted by Barrick is prejudicial to democracy. Damage caused by the company’s operations, with your complicity, severely compromises the lives of thousands of people. Pascua Lama is not viable.

These actions weren't well covered by Canadian media when they happened.

[Argus]

I think this is all just too paternalistic.

When China bought a mine out west and brought their own people over to mine it, I wasn't annoyed at China. I was annoyed at OUR government for allowing it. It's up to government here to keep all the foreign operations in line with our laws, including environmental and worker safety. And if one of those foreign corporations was found to be consistently abusing laws while our government looked the other way, then once again I'd blame OUR government.

I bet most people would.

But somehow when it comes to other countries, we have to take responsibility for amoral or immoral corporations and how they operate there because the local governments are what? Too stupid and corrupt? Chile and Argentina are democratic states. Is the suggestion there that they really aren't capable of looking out for themselves and need our supervision? Should these countries be allowed to make deals with corporations or do they need some more intelligent, more capable government likes our in a supervisory role in order to do what's best for them?

We know what's best for them, after all.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Argus

[Michael Hardner]

I think this is all just too paternalistic.

When China bought a mine out west and brought their own people over to mine it, I wasn't annoyed at China. I was annoyed at OUR government for allowing it. It's up to government here to keep all the foreign operations in line with our laws, including environmental and worker safety. And if one of those foreign corporations was found to be consistently abusing laws while our government looked the other way, then once again I'd blame OUR government.

In other words, environmental standards are for Canada only - not for Canadian companies that behave irresponsibly overseas.

Corruption is a fact in many countries in the world including China. If not for corruption, maybe China would have better environmental standards and having them in Canada wouldn't be a concern.

[Argus]

In other words, environmental standards are for Canada only - not for Canadian companies that behave irresponsibly overseas.

It is up to the Canadian government to establish and maintain our environmental standards in Canada. It is similarly up to the Chilean and Argentine governments to establish and maintain their own environmental standards. They are independent countries not colonies of ours, nor under our supervision.

[bush_cheney2004]

In other words, environmental standards are for Canada only - not for Canadian companies that behave irresponsibly overseas.

Canadian mining companies have been raping and pillaging so called third world nations for a long time. Another example:

Mining investment provides Burma's military regime with its largest source of legal income and Canadian mining companies are in the thick of it. The Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines, which is in a 50/50 joint venture with Burma's ruling junta, operates the biggest foreign mining venture in Burma. In addition, there are about four or five other Canadian junior mining companies doing business in Burma, all of whom inevitably support the regime through their business there.

http://www.cfob.org/mining.html

Local populations have little control over what foreign mining interests will do to their environment.

Canadians go home !!

[Smallc]

In other words, environmental standards are for Canada only - not for Canadian companies that behave irresponsibly overseas.

Corruption is a fact in many countries in the world including China. If not for corruption, maybe China would have better environmental standards and having them in Canada wouldn't be a concern.

You seem to be intentionally missing his point. Canadians establish laws for what happens in Canada. It's not up to us to police the world.

[eyeball]

You seem to be intentionally missing his point. Canadians establish laws for what happens in Canada. It's not up to us to police the world.

We'll throw Canadians in jail for fighting for ISIS and we should be throwing Canadians who mine for dictators into jail too.

Both the above examples are fundamentally crimes against humanity.

Edited November 22, 2014 by eyeball

[Michael Hardner]

It's not up to us to police the world.

'The world' is where the environment lives, not in countries. The world is in our country now, too, with China. If we see these things as having national jurisdiction then we will get Chinese laws in Canada, as per FIPPA.

[eyeball]

Well what needs to change obviously is the attitude that countries shouldn't be responsible for the actions of the corporations and people they unleash on+- the world.

Countries are little more than shells in a massive game of avoidance that wealth and power hide amongst.

We clearly need far more control over the inaction of our governments. Such inaction is what root causes are made from.

[jacee]

http://www.miningwatch.ca/es/node/6720

These actions weren't well covered by Canadian media when they happened.

Some coverage:

Canadian mining companies subject of worldwide protests

Citizen's groups in at least 10 countries complaining about gold and silver miners' environmental practices

Apr 03, 2013 1:25 PM ET

Santiago Ortega Arango special to, CBC News

Tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets ... to defend their water supply from a Canadian-owned gold-mining company.

/canadian-companies-overseas: a-corporate-heart-of-darkness

But can we trust Canadian companies to police themselves when they do business with dictatorships and other dodgy regimes?

.

Edited November 22, 2014 by jacee

[jacee]

You seem to be intentionally missing his point. Canadians establish laws for what happens in Canada. It's not up to us to police the world.

It appears that even though these are private companies, thousands of people protesting CANADIAN mining operations worldwide is tarnishing Canada's image ... and even Harper's getting concerned.

In 100 countries, 'Canada' is scorned.

Might just want to deal with the ethics and accountability of OUR companies that violate human rights around the world.

.

[jacee]

Companies are free to do as they please.

Until they screw up and give Canada a bad reputation.

.

[Smallc]

It appears that even though these are private companies, thousands of people protesting CANADIAN mining operations worldwide is tarnishing Canada's image ... and even Harper's getting concerned.

In 100 countries, 'Canada' is scorned.

Might just want to deal with the ethics and accountability of OUR companies that violate human rights around the world.

.

The stupidity of people in other countries, is, again, not our problem.

[jacee]

Canadian mining companies have been raping and pillaging so called third world nations for a long time.

...

Local populations have little control over what foreign mining interests will do to their environment.

Canadians go home !!

Finally ... a topic where your Canadian-baiting is appropriate!

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/for-canadian-companies-overseas-a-corporate-heart-of-darkness/article573681/?service=mobile

Canada is far behind other countries in regulating the behaviour of its companies overseas.

In the United States, lawmakers passed the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in 1977 to ban the payment of bribes by U.S. companies doing business abroad.

...

U.S. justice officials have stepped up prosecutions under the law in recent years, investigating dozens of major companies and levying billions of dollars in fines.

By contrast, a similar Canadian statute, the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act of 1998, is little known and seldom used.

[Smallc]

'The world' is where the environment lives, not in countries. The world is in our country now, too, with China. If we see these things as having national jurisdiction then we will get Chinese laws in Canada, as per FIPPA.

Actually, what I'm saying is that the Chinese have no place making our laws, just as we have no place making theirs. The environment is of the world, but it's a world we don't own or control. The law has to exist within countries.

[eyeball]

We don't live in a communist state yet. Companies are free to do as they please. If they are breaking any laws in a different country then it is up to that country to do something about it. If McDonalds does something bad do we sue the USA? Of course not. So why should it be any different in some third world place?

If we allow Canadian companies to actively support dictatorial regimes then we're already more depraved than the most disgusting communist regime on the planet and we probably deserve to have airplanes flown into our skyscrapers.

We're more depraved because we know better.

[Michael Hardner]

The law has to exist within countries.

I disagree. The law doesn't exist within countries, it exists beyond borders in real and practical terms now. Borders are being erased, and you can't do that in just one respect. When people, and laws mix, so will values and cultures.

[jacee]

The stupidity of people in other countries, is, again, not our problem.

Unless it becomes our stupidity for allowing corrupt and indecent practices by CANADIAN companies to define Canada ... in over 100 countries worldwide.

That would be pretty stupid of us.

.

[jacee]

Actually, what I'm saying is that the Chinese have no place making our laws, just as we have no place making theirs. The environment is of the world, but it's a world we don't own or control. The law has to exist within countries.

And the law does exist within our country.

It just doesn't get used!

"By contrast, a similar Canadian statute, the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act of 1998, is little known and seldom used."

.

[jacee]

/canada-accused-of-failing-to-prevent-overseas-mining-abuses/

October 2014

The Canadian government is failing either to investigate or to hold the countrys massive extractives sector accountable for rights abuses committed in Latin American countries, according to petitioners who testified here Tuesday before an international tribunal.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) also heard concerns that the Canadian government is not making the countrys legal system available to victims of these abuses.

...

Our preliminary count shows that at least

50 people have been killed and some

300 wounded

in connection with mining conflicts involving Canadian companies in recent years, for which there has been little to no accountability.

These allegations include

deaths,

injuries,

rapes and

other abuses attributed to security personnel working for Canadian mining companies. They also include policy-related problems related to

long-term environmental damage,

illegal community displacement and

subverting democratic processes.

Edited November 22, 2014 by jacee

[Argus]

We'll throw Canadians in jail for fighting for ISIS and we should be throwing Canadians who mine for dictators into jail too.

We haven't thrown anyone in jail for fighting for ISIS, and if we do it's because we're afraid they'll start doing the same sort of thing here.

Mind you, I'm not suggesting Canadian corporations are any more moral than ISiS, just that they tend to obey the law when they're held to it.

[Argus]

Well what needs to change obviously is the attitude that countries shouldn't be responsible for the actions of the corporations and people they unleash on+- the world.

We don't own these companies, and they can set up their 'headquarters' anywhere they want to if we try imposing too many extranational laws on them.

See the shipping industry as an example.

[Argus]

It appears that even though these are private companies, thousands of people protesting CANADIAN mining operations worldwide is tarnishing Canada's image ... and even Harper's getting concerned.

In 100 countries, 'Canada' is scorned.

Might just want to deal with the ethics and accountability of OUR companies that violate human rights around the world.

.

Nonsense. Canada is much admired, and if there are ethics issues in other countries those ethics issues are do to the lack of ethics of local government.

[Argus]

If we allow Canadian companies to actively support dictatorial regimes then we're already more depraved than the most disgusting communist regime on the planet

Drivel. Okay, pass your laws. Oh, gee, I think I'll move my mining company headquarters to Columbia. Now you can stick your laws.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Argus