Canada must lead in mining
One of the world’s biggest mining industry convention takes place in Toronto every year at this time. This year, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention, which draws tens of thousands of delegates and a handful of politicians, among others, coincides with a court case that many in the mining industry are watching closely.
The mining industry should welcome the fact that the case is being heard in Canada. So should government officials.
The case involves allegations of human rights abuses, gang rape and murder against security at a mine site in Guatemala owned by a former local subsidiary of the Canadian mining company Hudbay Minerals. It is the first time human rights allegations against a Canadian mining company have been heard in a Canadian court. Until recently, lawyers for the company had argued that Canada was not the place to hear the case. That legal argument has now been dropped, although Hudbay says it intends to fight the allegations. A lawyer representing alleged victims of violence and abuse by security guards at the mine has called it historic that the case will go ahead in Canada.
A Canadian court is the right place for this case, not only because Guatemala’s justice system, in the words of Human Rights Watch, is “weak and corrupt” but also because mining is so important to Canada, as the PDAC convention illustrates. Whatever the outcome of the case, it is important that it be heard in Canada where it will get a fair hearing.
While the majority of Canadian companies operating overseas do so within the law, and provide jobs and revenue to countries where they operate, it is crucial that those that don’t are called to account. In extreme cases, that should be done in Canadian courtrooms.
Canada has many reasons to take a lead role in addressing unethical and illegal behaviour of mining companies around the world. A compelling one is that Canada is a major player on the world stage and companies that get into trouble are, therefore, frequently Canadian.
And, although the mining industry and the federal government have both been behind a major push to encourage corporate social responsibility, the federal government must do more, especially now that the giant mining industry is also at the centre of a shift in Canadian foreign aid toward more partnerships with private companies operating overseas.
With so much riding on our mining industry, Canada must move to remove the shadow that bad corporate citizens cast on it.
With so much riding on our mining industry, Canada must move to remove the shadow that bad corporate citizens cast on it.
One way Canada can hold such companies to account is to renew the provision in defeated private members Bill C-300, which, among other things, called for Export Development Canada and Canadian embassies to stop supporting companies that break human rights and environmental legislation. Canada is a world leader in mining. It must show the world it is also a world leader in accountability when it comes to that industry.