Almost 100 protestors gathered outside Barrick Gold’s Annual General Meeting in downtown Toronto yesterday to confront the company about human rights abuses and environmental violations at their mines and to stand with impacted communities. Although restricted to 10 inches of sidewalk space outside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, we made our presence known to the shareholders inside through chants and musical performances. An 8-foot house of cards was erected across the street to represent the shaky foundations upon which Barrick builds its business.
Community leaders Jethro Tulin, executive director of the Akali Tange Association and Porgero Alliance in Papua New Guinea, and Sergio Campusano, president of the Diaguita Huascolatinos, were inside the meeting to confront Barrick directly and spoke to the crowd afterwards. Jethro Tulin has worked against Barrick Gold for a decade, seeking resettlement and compensation for victims of abuse at the mine. Sergio Campusano, who was at our Shout Out Against Mining Injustice in Vancouver in 2012, continues his community’s struggle for self-determination, even taking Chile to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights for permitting the Pascua Lama mine. The community has successfully stalled the mine’s operation and continues to raise concerns about water contamination.
Barrick Gold was sued by its shareholders over “misleading statements” around the Pascua Lama mine Sergio Campusano’s community opposes. Reports from inside the meeting suggest that shareholders continue to raise questions and concerns around the mine. Shareholders also rejected a compensation package for the company’s executives.
In March, Barrick appointed John Baird, former Conservative Foreign Affairs Minister, to their board. The appointment raised ethical concerns about Baird’s relationship with Barrick while in office and highlighted the Canadian government’s involvement with and support for mining companies like Barrick. For more on this appointment, please see Brent Patterson’s blog.
The Council of Canadians stands with impacted communities and opposes Barrick Gold’s operating practices.
Photo credit Allan Lissner and the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network.
