‘Dangerously compromising’: Quebec mining sector reopening a concern for Indigenous leaders – by Susan Bell (CBC News North – April 15, 2020)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/

Cree Nation says it’s working closely with mining companies in its territory

News that the mining sector has been added to the list of priority activities in Quebec is being met with concern from some Indigenous leaders in the province.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonatan Julien announced on Monday that mining operations in Quebec are now on the list of priority activities and services, meaning they can gradually restart operations beginning Wednesday.

“Quebec’s decision to allow the resumption of mining operations in a hurry is dangerously compromising the efforts made by our communities to slow the spread of [COVID-19] in the regions,” said Ghislain Picard, grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, in a news release.

There are 22 mining operations in the province of Quebec, according the Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources.

Picard said given that many of them are located near several Indigenous communities across the province, the “movement and comings and goings of mining workers is of great concern.”

For the rest of this article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/mines-quebec-covid-ghislain-picard-abel-bosum-1.5533675