Government Documents Reveal Canadian Embassy Backed Mining Abuses in Mexico

[Judi Lynn]

Government Documents Reveal Canadian Embassy Backed Mining Abuses in Mexico
February 25, 2015 1:00 AM

OTTAWA and TORONTO, Feb. 25, 2015 /CNW/ - A report based on internal documents obtained from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) concludes that Canadian diplomats in Mexico were complicit in Toronto-based Excellon Resources Inc.'s efforts to avoid redressing a violated land use contract and poor working conditions, and supported repression against a peaceful protest.

The report from MiningWatch Canada and the United Steelworkers is based on a careful review of nearly 250 pages obtained from DFATD during a period of heightened conflict and repression from July to November 2012.

At this time, landowners from the Ejido La Sierrita and workers from Local 309 of the National Miners Union at Excellon's La Platosa mine undertook a peaceful protest for several months, after filing two formal complaints in Canada alleging serious land and labour rights violations without result.

Despite full knowledge of these complaints and Excellon's refusal to engage in dialogue to address them, the Canadian Embassy planned to share information with Excellon that was gathered from community members and their legal counsel without their consent, while helping the company forge high level connections that led to violent repression against the protest.

More:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1492533/government-documents-reveal-canadian-embassy-backed-mining-abuses-in-mexico

[merrily]

1. Thank you for this important thread Judi Lynn.

For those who do not know, an ejido is land owned in common by a group of Mexicans who have lived on and farmed the land.


This is another example of the 1% owing so much to government that is supposed to be the government of the 100% and is supported by the 100%. What the 1% has usurped, it will never repay. When they speak of class warfare, they overlook totally the millennia of class warfare waged by the 1% against the 99%. And they refer to something that, so far, consists mostly of the words of a few of the 99%.

Mock them when they speak of class warfare. At the very least, point at them and laugh in their faces.