Press Responses: April 2, 2008

Government’s Response to Mining Report Still Underground

By Michelle Collins, Embassy Newspaper

It has been just over a year since a highly anticipated report recommending significant steps to ensure Canadian mining companies operating abroad adhere to socially responsible standards was submitted to the government.

Yet despite indications from Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the G8 leaders’ summit last June that Canada—which has the world’s largest number of extractive companies—was poised to take the lead, nothing more has emerged, and observers and critics say they have no idea what to expect, or when.

Canadian Mining: Still Unaccountable

The North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) recently devoted an edition of its magazine Report on the Americas to Canadian foreign policy in Latin America. The Canadian edition features an article by HI's Program Officer on Canadian mining investment in the region. The article describes recent efforts to reform domestic policy and law regarding the overseas operations of Canadian extractive companies. It focuses on current initiatives that seek to create accountability mechanisms for several government agencies that facilitate Canadian mining, oil and gas investments in the global South.

To read the article click here.

To access the article in Spanish click here.

EDC Compliance Officer (1) Re: Cernavoda - August 1, 2003

August 1, 2003

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa, ON  K1N 1H5

Dear Mr. Reilly-King

This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 28, 2003, and enclosed documentation. I acknowledge that your letter was also copied to Darlene Pearson, Director, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Auditor General of Canada.

You do not note in  your letter whether you attempted to resolve your concerns with Export Development Canada (EDC) by any other means. You have referred the matter to ma as Compliance Officer for EDC.

Pursuant to the resolution guidelines, upon receipt of such a letter, I must conduct an initial appraisal of your concerns to establish whether they fall within the mandate of EDC’s Compliance Program.

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