CANADA: Gov't Urged to Rein in Mining Sector
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40353

by Am Johal, IPS News
December 7th, 2007

Canadian mining companies continue to come under scrutiny from civil society organisations for international human rights violations and environmental damage that critics say the Canadian government has done little to check.

Canada is a leader in the global mining industry, with almost 60 percent of the world's listed exploration and mining companies. The government supports some foreign mining activity through Export Development Canada, a federal agency.

MPs, CSOs demand government response to Consensus Report on Extractives
Earlier editions of this publication reported on the National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries (See IU Vol. I No 10; Vol. II Nos 6, 9, 11; Vol. III, Nos 3 and 6). The cross-country consultation process was a constructive, multi-stakeholder dialogue on the overseas operations of Canadian oil, gas and mining companies. Remarkably, it culminated with the release of a consensus-based action plan for the Canadian government to improve the accountability of Canadian extractive companies overseas. The plan, which is outlined in the Advisory Group Final Report, was endorsed by participating representatives from industry, civil society and academia. That was in March. Eight months later, there is still no response from the federal government.

November 5, 2007

Ms. Karyn Keenan
Program Officer
Halifax Initiative
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa ON KIN 1H5

Dear Ms. Keenan:

This is in response to your letter of September 17. Your letter contains many questions and comments which I will answer by focusing on the key issues that you raise.

The first issue raised refers to Export Development Canada’s practices related to public consultations and whether this is a requirement of our environmental review process.

Rosemarie Boyle
Vice-President
Corporate Communications and External Relations
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor St.
Ottawa, ON
K1A 1K3

September 17, 2007

Dear Ms. Boyle:

Wolfowitz Swept “Climate Change” Under the Rug at Bank
Documents released by the Government Accountability Project (GAP) reveal that Paul Wolfowitz, then World Bank President, personally intervened to remove the emphasis on climate change from a 2006 Bank report requested by the G8. The original report, entitled “Climate Change, Energy and Sustainable Development: Towards an Investment Framework” and endorsed by Bank vice-presidents, was later changed to “Clean Energy and Development: Towards an Investment Framework”.

Selecting a New IMF Director: Another One-Man Race?
Following the recent, controversial appointment of World Bank President Robert Zoellick - who was hand-picked by the US, despite calls for a more democratic selection process - all eyes are on the International Monetary Fund as it prepares to select a new Managing Director in September. At this early stage, US and EU support for the candidacy of former French Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn reveals their intent to preserve a selection process that all but guarantees the appointment of a European to the top post.

SELECTED ISSUES on INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Click here for pdf

Wolfowitz out, Zoellick in; Bank credibility AWOL

Speculation around Paul Wolfowitz’s successor as World Bank President quickly faded, as the US nominated Robert Zoellick, former US Deputy Secretary of State under Condoleeza Rice.

July 16, 2007

For PDF, click here.

 Plans by US, Canada and EU to finance massive copper mine in DRC disregard Congolese government review of mining deals

On July 12, the US government’s Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is set to give its backing to mining major Phelps Dodge/Freeport McMoRan for the company’s Tenke Fungurume copper project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Other public lenders such as Export Development Canada (EDC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are expected to follow suit. These financing plans are proceeding in spite of the fact that the Tenke deal is among 60 contracts currently under review by the Congolese government.