Jim Paterson, the CEO and director of Kivalliq Energy Corporation (a well-known Canadian mining company), and his team have begun funding a very large-scale mining project amongst the Métis Nation. Throughout mine construction, multiple communities of the Métis Nation protested outside of the mine for multiple weeks in hopes of ceasing the project. Jim Paterson and Clement Cartier, the president of the Métis Nation come face-to-face in a heated discussion. Below, you will find the transcript of this recorded discourse.
Jim Paterson: What is going on here? My employees need to start working the mine, every minute being wasted is costing my company and the country millions of dollars. The person in charge of this protest needs to step forward so we can get this issue settled immediately.
Clement Cartier: I am in charge here, the leader of the Métis Nation. Mining has gone on for far too long. It is destroying our land, our culture, the biodiversity surrounding us, and the air we breathe. Mr Paterson, please understand where we are coming from; imagine someone enters your home and starts destroying its livelihood. You are entering our land and disrupting all that is good about it. Our air has become increasingly polluted. Our soil altered due to the construction of this mine. On top of that, you are destroying the habitats of many animals. All for what? Even more extraction of minerals? Don’t you understand? Who are you to come here and deprive us of our rights without even acknowledging the adverse effects your actions may have on us.
Jim Paterson: I understand your concerns with the current mining projects, but my company has already staked a claim in this land, and we now have the rights to the minerals in this land. We have also already undergone an Environmental Assessment (EA) and have been approved to start the project. You also need to consider the benefits of this mine, for example, it will bring your community many employment opportunities; mining has, in fact, been the largest private sector employer for your people (MAC, 2017). Are you willing to deny employment for thousands of individuals that depend on these jobs to put food on their table and a roof over their heads?
Clement Cartier: I understand that mining provides opportunities for employment, but there are rules in order to gain access to this land. Yes, you consulted the Minerals and Metals Policy of the Government, but you clearly have no concern regarding the entirety of the legislation for mining. Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 recognizes the aboriginal people of Canada, including the Indian, the Inuit and my people, the Métis. Subsection 1 states that “treaty rights includes rights that now exist by way of land claims agreements.” In other words, Mr. Paterson, you have begun your project devoid of our consent, which violates our rights clearly outlined by our government.
Jim Paterson: Fortunately for me, I have already received approval from the government to start mining on this land. If they neglected to consult the Community of Interest Advisory Panel, then that is not my problem. I assure you my representatives from the Mining Association of Canada will be working with community members on a daily basis to ensure sustainable mining practices. They will ensure that mining risks are managed, and the surrounding communities remain safe throughout the mining process (MAC, 2017). This program will extract minerals in the most responsible way, both socially and environmentally. Even without the Towards Sustainable Mining program, a small community such as this one will not be enough to stop the expansion of the mining industry as it accounts for $52.6 billion of Canada’s GDP, which is a significant contribution to the country’s economic status (Mining Industries, 2016).
Clement Cartier: You have no right to be here. Point blank. It is the government’s duty to consult as well as accommodate the indigenous people in any decision regarding our lands. It is most certainly your problem Sir because – I am going to repeat this for clarity purposes – you are violating our irrefutable rights, and we can and will take legal action against this matter if you do not shut down this project and restore what is left of this land immediately. Regardless of this sustainable mining program, there are still far too many environmental impacts to manage, the most prevalent being deforestation. You are stripping millions of species from their habitats. We hunt the caribou of this region for food and other resources, and by removing their habitat, you are significantly increasing their rate of local extinction (Heritage, n.d.; The Globe and Mail, 2017). Not only that, but without the trees, the land itself is no longer protected from the heat of the sun – you will essentially be drying the soil and causing it to retain heat which, in turn, leads to severe climate changes – both locally and globally (Longobardi, Montenegro, Beltrami & Eby, 2016). On top of that, you will be reducing natural nutrient cycling processes and increasing greenhouse gas emissions further exacerbating global warming patterns.
Jim Paterson: Canada is one of the world leaders in sustainable forest management; therefore, the government would not approve of this mining project if it was detrimental to the environment (Deforestation in Canada, 2017). Also, to address your concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, there are new technologies that allow for green initiatives in mining. For example, methane capturing technology has been tested in Australia and has currently stored up to 60,000 metric tonnes of CO2, also the use of zero-emission vehicles is expected to be widespread in mining sites within years to come (Spence, 2015). Mining provides too many significant benefits to Canadians as a whole, which outweigh the disadvantages. For example, mines allow for the extraction of uranium, which is used for nuclear energy that powers your home. It also allows for the extraction of potash, which is used for fertilizers in agriculture (About Potash, 2013).
Without these mining projects, how will Canadian farmers produce enough food to feed our nation? The mining industry accounts for 20.4% of all Canadian exports, and provides jobs to approximately 400,000 people directly, and indirectly creates 200,000 jobs (MAC, 2017). I am sorry to inform you but the economic benefits and the overall well-being of all Canadians are more important than your precious caribou!
Clement Cartier: You are saying that this project will bring Canadians an array of benefits, however, I can guarantee you that the costs outweigh the benefits. Yes, mining gives Canada its revenue, however considering we are a “global leader in renewable energy” there are other resources which Canada can and already is using in order to contribute to its economy, such as hydroelectricity, wind, solar and other energy sources – which make up over 77% of Canada’s electricity generation and do not release greenhouse gases (Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference, 2013; Lewis & Wiser, 2007)! And yes, there are green initiatives being established in the mining industry, but how many of them are actually being implemented as of today? Or, Mr Paterson, are they still in the making? On top of that, how effective are they are? Because according to several studies, coal mining in itself releases over six grams of methane per kilogram of surface and underground mined coal even with these so-called initiatives; methane emissions contribute to over 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, which has been rapidly increasing within the past decade (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2017; Spath, 1999; US EPA, 2016).
Jim Paterson: I understand that mining leads to the release of greenhouse gases (GHG) but in reality, there are other industries that produce much more. For example, if you really want to reduce GHG emissions, you should target industries such as the transportation sector, which accounts for 24% of all GHG emissions in Canada (GHG Emissions By Canadian Economic Sector, 2015). Not to mention that there are several stewardship programs in place that mining companies, such as Kivalliq Energy Corporation, annually pay millions to in order to improve environmental protection and pollution prevention caused by mining. Canadian mining industry has a deep commitment for sustainable development, making it one of the safest industries in Canada (MAC, 2018). There are ongoing efforts to reduce the environmental footprints caused by mining projects. Aside from the ongoing environmental efforts, my company has been working to ensure your land remains as unharmed as possible, Canada’s rich geology allows us to produce over sixty minerals and metals (MAC, 2018). From an economic standpoint, it would be foolish to not take advantage of the geology of our land.
Clement Cartier: It would be foolish of you to continue being a contributing factor to climate change and habitat degradation. It’s actually quite sad that you’re unable to see how one “small” thing can significantly impact the world on a larger-scale. You and all your other corporate friends are simply too fixated and blinded by the numbers that you don’t see how your actions will have repercussions greater than any “remedy” method you throw at the public. It’s not just deforestation that becomes a problem, but problems arise in water pollution as well. First off, with mining, sulphides within the rocks become exposed to air and water which results in sulphuric acid production (Mining and Water Pollution, 2017; MiningWatch, 2018). Thus, when industries excavate minerals, they amplify this process – and where does this excess acid go? Well, it aerosolizes or enters the soil and drains into groundwater systems. The water then becomes extensively acidic and contaminated by metals including but not limited to arsenic, cobalt, silver, and lead. On top of that, acidification is further potentiated by certain bacteria, such as T. ferroxidans, which further causes the degradation of these metals and the leaching of them into water systems (Mining and Water Pollution, 2017; MiningWatch, 2018). The acidic water then disseminates and affects neighbouring soil and rocks and is deposited into larger bodies of water during rainfall. This ultimately leads to ocean acidification and a decrease in marine biodiversity.
Jim Paterson: I understand you are concerned with the various water impacts that come from mining, but you have to understand that there are numerous regulations in place to ensure that the fish and water remain safe. Section 36 under the Fisheries Act is intended to prevent water pollution and “prohibits the deposit of deleterious substances in waters frequented by fish” (Consolidated Federal Laws of Canada, 2018). The Metal Mining Effluent Regulation also prohibits the release of effluent that is even acutely lethal to fish as well as it sets limits for the pH of effluent and concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead, nickel, et cetera (Consolidated Federal Laws of Canada, 2018). Mining operators are also required to monitor the quality of the effluent, at least once a week. A study conducted demonstrated that between 2003 and 2008, 92% of discharge water from mining facilities contained less than the allowed limit of total suspended solids, 95% were below the level of fish toxicity, and 99% of the samples were below the metal and pH limits (Water Quality in Mining, 2012). This suggests that water quality is very important to the government and to mining companies. I will make my best worker responsible to monitor the effluents every other day in order to ensure that your waterways and fish populations do not become affected. We will do everything we can to make sure we stay within government regulations!
Clement Cartier: I appreciate your efforts, but what about the wastes that your company produces? In fact, what about the mines that are simply left and never replenished? Does one mining project not involve high-quantity excavation of waste rock? What exactly happens to this material? Because last time I checked it just remains in dumps, which undoubtedly has impacted not only on the wildlife surrounding this area but significantly increases the chance of bacterial and other pathogenic growths. Additionally, we see that for every tonne of copper being extracted, almost 100-fold of waste material is being produced (MiningWatch, 2006). I repeat, one hundred times the amount of the target metal! 650 million tonnes are produced per year by the mining industry in Canada (MiningWatch, 2006) – and although your response will be something around the edges of “new waste removal strategies are being implemented to reduce waste production,” regardless of how much is removed, it does not take away from the fact that these waste products, now dismantled and exposed to more gases, contain high-levels of sulphides and heavy metal compounds amongst other chemicals (MiningWatch, 2006). These pollutants just sit there and further contaminate not just the air and not just the biodiversity, but the waterways as well!
Jim Paterson: That is where you are wrong, there is much regulation, reuse, and recycling of the waste produced from mining. There is strict management involved to ensure that long-term waste storage facilities remain stable over time and are capable of withstanding extreme events such as earthquakes (How Are Wastes Managed at Mine Sites, 2012). These waste facilities have also been designed to prevent or significantly reduce air, soil and water contamination from waste. A waste plan has already been created for this mine, which has already been approved by the federal and provincial government. Not to mention that my company takes great pride in the recycling and reuse of all our mining waste. For example, waste rock can be reprocessed and used as aggregate in road construction, manganese tailings have been used for glass and construction material, and finally, slag has been used in concrete and cement (How Are Wastes Managed at Mine Sites, 2012). You also bring up concern in mines that are “simply left” but that is not the case with my company. We have a team of stewardship workers that remediate the land and do their best in returning the land and water to a highly productive state. My team will remove any leftover hazardous waste, reshape the land, restore topsoil, and plant any native trees/plants that were destroyed in the mining process (What Happens to Mine Sites After A Mine is Closed, 2012). I also have a monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of the reclamation and make any necessary changes to ensure your land is restored. Myself and the people of Kivalliq Energy Corporation have always taken a significant stance in reducing the environmental impacts of mining but, unfortunately for you, some impacts will continue to exist. The expansion of mining has provided Canada with an excellent opportunity for economic growth and development, which I believe outweighs the environmental impacts. Too many Canadians rely on the mine that the Federal government will never let a small community like yours, get in the way of our prospering economy.
Clement Cartier: All you are doing is creating a wound and placing a bandage on it hoping there will be no scar left behind. You say unfortunately for me, Jim. I have spent this entire conversation trying to prove to you that it is not just me or my people who will be impacted. It is us all. It amazes me that you still think my people and I are standing here just because we don’t want you destroying the land that belongs to us, but it goes so much further than that Mr Paterson. I am going to ask you once more to reconsider continuing this project on our land. If you do not withdraw your efforts, these protesters and I will have no choice but to remain here until the government of Canada reviews the matter at hand and until we are given proper consultation with the Community of Interest Advisory Panel. We have our rights and refuse to let them be abused by this company of yours simply because you want to add an additional zero to your savings account. No strategy, no effort, and no excuse could compensate for the detrimental effects your company and the mining industry, here, in the North or anywhere else for that matter generates.
Summary:
Both parties agreed that mining has many environmental impacts, but they disagree on whether the benefits outweigh the costs. One party believes that the environmental impacts of mining are too significant and detrimental to all communities, not just those which are Indigenous, and that, ultimately, it is not worth the sacrifice just for opportunities for employment. The opposing party believes that the economic benefits of mining are more important than the environmental impacts. The economic benefit of processes, such as mining, is very significant but it is also crucial to consider all of the environmental impacts associated and to ensure that the risks are greatly reduced before any project commences. It is always important to continue researching and creating new techniques that do not pose such a threat to the environment as a way to guarantee that sustainability is maintained within our country, and the world as a whole. Government officials need to always consult with aboriginal communities, or any community living near a mine before they begin a new project. They need to acknowledge and consider how mining may affect the culture of these communities, and they must maintain high-quality regulations to ensure the safety of the land and the people. The economy undoubtedly plays a chief role in mining industry production, but the voices of the Indigenous communities should not go unheard and must be respected. It is pivotal that both the Canadian government and the First Nations compromise and come to an agreement, where both parties are, at least in part, content with the outcome.