[All] FW: E-News: Federal government rejects Prosperity Mine bid to destroy Teztin Biny

Wed Nov 3 16:11:49 EDT 2010

From: Council of Canadians
[mailto:council-of-canadians at topica.email-publisher.com] 
Sent: November-03-10 3:57 PM
To: randybmclean at rogers.com
Subject: E-News: Federal government rejects Prosperity Mine bid to destroy
Teztin Biny

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Win! Federal government rejects Prosperity Mine bid to destroy Teztin Biny
(Fish Lake)

The federal government has turned down a proposal by Vancouver-based Taseko
Ltd. to turn Teztan Biny (also known as Fish Lake) – a beautiful mountain
lake southwest of Williams Lake – into a garbage dump for a copper-gold
project called the Prosperity Project.

“This is an amazing and momentous victory,” said Brent Patterson, Director
of Campaigns and Communications for the Council of Canadians. “Many people
came together to save this lake and to make Schedule 2 an issue across the
country.”

While the provincial government had approved the Taseko project in early
2010, a federal review panel concluded the environmental impacts on the
watershed and surrounding lands were too high to allow it to proceed. Taseko
had applied to use Schedule 2, a loophole in the metal mining effluent
regulation of the federal Fisheries Act that allows the federal government
to exempt metal mining companies from provisions that would otherwise
prevent them from dumping toxins into natural bodies of water. Once an
exemption is granted, lakes are listed on Schedule 2 and redefined as
“tailings impoundment areas.”

Following the review panel’s conclusion, federal cabinet was tasked with
making a final decision on the proposal. The federal government announced
late yesterday that it upheld the review panel’s conclusions and the project
would not be given the green light due to the serious and adverse
environmental impacts it would cause.

The Council of Canadians joined the Tsilhqot’in First Nations and other
nearby residents in opposing the mining project. Since 2009 we have been
speaking out at public meetings, in the media, at the federal review panel
hearings and to the federal government to stop the lake’s destruction.

In May 2010, we engaged our members across the country in launching a
national petition drive calling for the Schedule 2 loophole to be
permanently closed, and demanding that the federal government stop allowing
mining companies to permanently destroy healthy freshwater lakes and rivers
with toxic mining waste. Our members responded with overwhelming support and
generosity, enabling us to conduct a timely and strategic campaign. On
September 7, we delivered more than 15,000 signed petitions to Environment
Minister Jim Prentice.

While this is a significant victory, we must remain vigilant in our campaign
to close the Schedule 2 loophole for good. Several more lakes across Canada
remain on the Schedule 2 list, including Sandy Pond, a beautiful freshwater
lake in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are working with the Sandy Pond
Alliance to Protect Canadian Water and Mining Watch Canada to stop the plan
of Brazilian mining company Vale Inco to dump 400,000 tons a year of toxic
mining waste into Sandy Pond. We have joined forces to launch a legal
challenge in a further attempt to have Schedule 2 declared a violation of
the federal Fisheries Act.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our members, supporters and Williams Lake
chapter activists. Your support made a real difference in helping to save
Teztin Biny (Fish Lake)!

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"I am grateful to the Council for the education they provide me regarding
each campaign and issue they bring to light. As sobering as this new
information is, it is always presented thoughtfully and intelligently and I
am thankful. Knowledge surely is power and knowledge shared is a gift." 
– Beth Arseneault, Bath, ON

Here’s more about what’s new at the Council of Canadians: 

*	Council celebrates 25 years of acting for social justice at annual
meeting
*	Hundreds rally against CETA as negotiations take place in Ottawa
*	Challenging Water Markets in Alberta: Barlow tells packed crowd ‘Our
water is not for sale!’
*	Council speaks out about Moncton, NB’s decision to sell water for
hydro-fracking venture
*	Take Action! Help unite voices in your community against climate
change
*	Win! Harper’s bid for UN Security Council seat rejected
*	Voices Wanted: Give the gift of a Council of Canadians membership
*	Join the Council of Canadians

  _____  

Council celebrates 25 years of acting for social justice at annual meeting

Hundreds of Council of Canadians members, chapter activists, staff and
supporters gathered in Ottawa October 22-24 for our Annual General Meeting
proudly celebrating our 25 year history of speaking out against unfair trade
deals and social injustices and bringing people together for positive
political action by “Building People Power.”

The annual meeting focused attention on the proposed Canada-European Union
Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), highlighting the deal’s
threats to farmers, First Nations, public water, municipal democracy, public
services, cultural protections and other policies. Keynote speakers included
National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians Maude Barlow, trade and
public interest lawyer and Council of Canadians board member Steven
Shrybman, and Université du Québec à Montréal Sociology Professor Dorval
Brunelle, who addressed the potentially devastating effects of CETA and
spoke to a different – and better – economy that is based on buying locally
and sustainable energy solutions.

The evening forum also featured award-winning slam poets Ian Keteku, John
Akpata as well as The Recipe and D-LightFull. The artists used the powerful
art of spoken word to emphasize important social justice and political
issues.

Youth had a strong presence at the meeting as young activists took to the
stage during the public forum and also for one of the panels to speak about
their visions and ideas for positive change. 

People were able to get hands-on experience in workshops tackling topics
such as climate justice and organizing People’s Assemblies, the victory for
the Human Right to Water and Sanitation at the United Nations, how to use
social networking tools such as twitter and Facebook in activism, and much
more.

The Council of Canadians also held its business meeting during the weekend
event at which members were able to elect Council board members, vote on
resolutions, and review the organization’s budget projections.

To watch a rebroadcast on Rabbletv of the public forum and three panels that
took place during the event go
<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zQaRzWEyeaeQy7T/> here.

  _____  

Hundreds rally against CETA as negotiations take place in Ottawa

 <http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zRaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zRaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
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<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zRaRzWEyeaeQy7T/> On
Friday, October 22, hundreds of people gathered to protest outside Old City
Hall in Ottawa where the fifth round of negotiations on the Canada-European
Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) were taking place.

The rally, organized by the Council of Canadians, featured short speeches
from Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians, Terry Boehm of the National
Farmers Union, Peggy Nash of the Canadian Auto Workers, Clayton
Thomas-Muller of the Indigenous Environmental Network, Claude Vaillancourt
of ATTAC-Quebec, Roxanne Dubois of the Canadian Federation of Students,
Daniel Legere of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Dave Coles of the
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, Denis Lemelin of the Canadian
Union of Postal Workers, and Hassan Yussuff of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Speakers highlighted the deal’s threats to workers, farmers, public water
and services and local decision-making powers. If approved, CETA could
further open EU food markets to “Frankenfood,” genetically-modified imports,
and give European-based private water corporations access to our publicly
owned and delivered water. As recent reports have revealed, the deal will
cost Canadians thousands of jobs and put corporate power ahead of local
social and environmental priorities.

CETA has been veiled in secrecy. Negotiations are happening behind closed
doors without public awareness or input. The Council of Canadians helped
deliver this message directly to International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan
through our first-ever mobile advocacy action where hundreds of people
texted a message to Minister Van Loan saying “the public must have a voice
in CETA negotiations” and calling for an immediate halt to negotiations.

To read more about CETA and to see resources including our two new
factsheets, as well as video from the rally go
<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zRaRzWEyeaeQy7T/> here.

  _____  

Challenging Water Markets in Alberta: Barlow tells packed crowd ‘Our water
is not for sale!’

 <http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zSaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zSaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
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<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zSaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow recently spoke to a
standing-room only crowd at the University of Alberta about the Alberta
government’s moves towards expanding the province’s water market.

In 1999, the Alberta government introduced the Alberta Water Act, which for
the first time allowed “water transfers,” or the right to exchange all or
part of a water licence between users. But it wasn’t until 2006 that the
Alberta government – realizing there was no more water to give away –
stopped issuing water licences in the Bow, Oldman and South Saskatchewan
River basins, actually creating the conditions for Canada’s first market for
water.

Millions of dollars have since been exchanged, and dozens of licence
transfers have already been completed. In just one example, 6,700 cubic
metres of water per day were purchased in 2007 for $15 million for the
development of a large shopping mall, horse racing complex and casino in
Balzac, a municipality just north of Calgary. While market proponents refer
to the allocation of water for lucrative commercial use as moving water to
“higher value uses,” the Balzac development demonstrates how the water
market in southern Alberta truly operates, allowing for a massive and water
intensive development in an area where water permits are no longer available
to meet the basic needs of a growing population.

“Alberta is the province most at risk in this global water crisis,” said
Barlow. “In Alberta there is the making of what I call ‘the perfect
drought.’ We have pollutions, increased water extractions, a growing
population and more demand. But yet the Alberta government is moving piece
by piece towards a water market. The government is commodifying water
instead of protecting it as a Commons, available to all and owned by no
one.”

To read more about the fight back against Alberta water markets and to watch
video of Maude Barlow’s speech go
<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zSaRzWEyeaeQy7T/> here.

Photo by Dave Williamson. Maude Barlow speaks to more than 400 people about
the problems with Alberta’s water market. 

  _____  

Council speaks out about Moncton, NB’s decision to sell water for
hydro-fracking venture

The Council of Canadians made headlines recently speaking out against
Moncton, New Brunswick’s plan to sell municipal water for use in a local
hydro-fracking project.

The city has agreed to sell public municipal water to Apache Canada, a
U.S.-owned mining company, for its hydraulic fracturing testing in the
Frederick Brook formation in the Elgin area in southern New Brunswick. As
many as six to eight trucks a day are filled with water from the Turtle
Creek reservoir and then sent 50 kilometres to a “lake” that has been
created to store the water for these operations.

Hydro-fracturing or “fracking” is a process where sand, water and chemicals
are blasted into shale rock to gain access to trapped natural gas deposits.
The highly controversial extraction process is gaining popularity in the
United States and more recently in Canada as more accessible fossil fuel
sources become harder to find.

The Council of Canadians opposes fracking because of its high carbon
emissions, its high water use, and the dangers it poses to polluting
groundwater and local drinking water. Communities where fracking projects
are underway have reported water pollution, “burning water,” where water
from household taps catches fire due to residual methane gas from fracking
operations, and health concerns. We are calling for a nationwide stop on
hydro-fracking.

To read more about Moncton, NB’s plan to sell public water for
hydro-fracking go
<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zTaRzWEyeaeQy7T/> here.

  _____  

Take Action! Help unite voices in your community against climate change

 <http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zUaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
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<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zUaRzWEyeaeQy7T/> The
next major round of UN climate negotiations will be held in Cancun November
29 to December 10. The last round of negotiations in Copenhagen failed
miserably, so why wait for governments to take action?It is the collective
voice of people that can help make climate justice a reality!

The Council of Canadians, joined by the Indigenous Environmental Network,
KAIROS and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, are calling on people in
communities across Canada to host People’s Assemblies on Climate Justice
during the Cancun negotiations.

A People’s Assembly is an interactive process that provides the opportunity
for people to listen and be heard about what climate justice means to them –
in their community and globally. It is a movement-building and organizing
tool. It is a gathering of people to discuss and analyze climate justice
that can feature a local climate justice issue or campaign. A People’s
Assembly is a space to discuss demands, commitments and visions for how
things could be different. It is aimed at transforming awareness into
action by invigorating ongoing and new climate justice actions in your
community.

To find out more about how to organize a People’s Assembly in your community
go  <http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zUaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
here.

  _____  

Win! Harper’s bid for UN Security Council seat rejected

The Harper government recently withdrew its bid for a seat on the United
Nations Security Council after failing to obtain the supportive votes needed
from other countries.

The Council of Council of Canadians publicly stated the Harper government
did not deserve this seat because of its refusal to recognize the human
right to water, the fact that almost every other country in the world has
signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,
and because of its dismal climate policy.

In May, we hand delivered a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that
outlined why we believe the Harper government didn’t deserve a Security
Council seat, which prompted critical questions in the House of Commons and
a mention on the CBC National News. In September, we faxed a letter to the
192 permanent missions at the United Nations expressing our concerns about
positions the Harper government has taken on water, the climate and
Indigenous rights.

During the UN vote, Canada only won 78 to Portugal’s 113 votes. Needing at
least two-thirds of the votes to advance, Canada was forced to withdraw from
the race. This marks the first time in history Canada has been unsuccessful
in its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council.

To read more about this go
<http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zVaRzWEyeaeQy7T/> here.

  _____  

Voices Wanted: Give the gift of a Council of Canadians membership

 <http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maaolQsab08zWaRzWEyeaeQy7T/>
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justice and public health care for everyone. 

Your gift of a Council of Canadians membership includes:

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A Council membership is a great gift for any occasion. Celebrate the holiday
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