National Program Co-Lead
MiningWatch Canada applauds the Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation’s major victory over the Quebec government in Quebec Superior Court!
From a statement from the Centre québecois du droit de l’environnement: “Represented by lawyers from the Centre québécois du droit de l’environnement (CQDE) and Ecojustice, the Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation achieved its goal of confirming that it must be consulted before mining claims are granted and before exploration activities are undertaken on its territory where Aboriginal rights and title are asserted. This victory adds to those of other Indigenous communities that have challenged ‘free entry’ mining regimes in other provinces: the case of the Ross River Dena Council in Yukon and the case of the Gitxaala and Ehattesaht First Nations in British Columbia. This victory also paves the way for other Indigenous communities in Québec.”
This is proof that the Quebec mining regime is obsolete. The National Assembly must react immediately by amending the Mining Bill (PL63) to comply with the courts. Ultimately, the objective should not be simply to better consult Indigenous Peoples, but to ensure that their informed consent to any mining work is respected BEFORE issuing permits to mining companies.
This position is supported by a strong majority (78%) of Quebecers who support the importance of “requiring the consent of local populations, including Indigenous Peoples, before authorizing any mining activity on their territory” (Léger poll August 2022).
Congratulations to the Centre québécois du droit de l’environnement and Ecojustice, who brilliantly represented the rights and interests of the Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation before the Court.
For more information:
- Open letter published in Le Devoir on February 19, 2024, expressing support for the Mitchiknibikok Inik First Nation and calling for an end to the free entry mining regime
- Statement by the Centre Québécois du Droit de L’Environnement
Related
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Publication Comments on the Federal Government’s Emergency Decree to Protect the Habitat of the Boreal Caribou in Quebec 17.09.2024
Publication A Bad Deal for Canada: Mining giant Glencore’s Canadian expansion threatens climate and communities 22.07.2024
News Quebec Mining Bill: QMM Priorities Absent, Ambitious Revision is Necessary 18.07.2024
News Quebec town leaders, residents unite to decide fate of mine with ties to Pentagon 13.07.2024
SOURCE: https://miningwatch.ca/blog/2024/10/22/major-victory-quebec-courts
See also: “Accumulation by Dispossession” by the Global Extractive Industry: The Case of Canada
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