Corporate Social Responsibility – Page 19

NEWS RELEASE – HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Papua New Guinea: Serious Abuses at Barrick Gold Mine

February 10, 2011

Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. By focusing international attention where human rights are violated, we give voice to the oppressed and hold oppressors accountable for their crimes. For 30 years, Human Rights Watch has worked tenaciously to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep-rooted change and has fought to bring greater justice and security to people around the world. (Human Rights Watch website)

Systemic Failures Underscore Need for Canadian Government Regulation

February 1, 2011

(Toronto) – Private security personnel employed at a gold mine in Papua New Guinea have been implicated in alleged gang rapes and other violent abuses, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Porgera mine has produced billions of dollars of gold in its twenty years of operation, and is operated and 95 percent owned by Barrick Gold, a Canadian company that is the world’s largest gold producer.

The 94-page report, “Gold’s Costly Dividend: Human Rights Impacts of Papua New Guinea’s Porgera Gold Mine,” identifies systemic failures on the part of Toronto-based Barrick Gold that kept the company from recognizing the risk of abuses, and responding to allegations that abuses had occurred. The report examines the impact of Canada’s failure to regulate the overseas activities of its companies and also calls on Barrick to address environmental and health concerns around the mine with greater transparency.

“We interviewed women who described brutal gang rapes by security guards at Barrick’s mine,” said Chris Albin-Lackey, senior business and human rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The company should have acted long before Human Rights Watch conducted its research and prompted them into action”.

Human Rights Watch said that in response to its investigation, Barrick has taken meaningful steps to investigate past abuses and make it less likely for similar abuses to occur in future.

Most of the world’s mining and exploration companies are based in Canada.

NEWS RELEASE: Ontario’s Ring of Fire – hope or hype? MiningWatch releases report on Ring of Fire economics

February 10, 2011February 7, 2011

MiningWatch Canada is a pan-Canadian initiative supported by environmental, social justice, Aboriginal and labour organisations from across the country. It addresses the urgent need for a co-ordinated public interest response to the threats to public health, water and air quality, fish and wildlife habitat and community interests posed by irresponsible mineral policies and practices in Canada and around the world. http://www.miningwatch.ca/

In reality, MiningWatch Canada is a well-known anti-mining, non-governmental organization (NGO). Although MiningWatch is disliked by many in the mining sector, some of the environmental and social issues that they bring up, are legitimate concerns that are generally addressed by the industry. – Stan Sudol

For the MiningWatch Canada report written by Joan Kuyek, please click here: Economic Analysis of the Ring of Fire Chromite Mining Play

For an extensive list of articles on this mineral discovery, please go to: Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

Ontario’s Ring of Fire – hope or hype? MiningWatch releases report on Ring of Fire economics

Feb 04 2011

Since a major staking rush in 2007, mineral deposits in northern Ontario’s “Ring of Fire” have received considerable attention from the mining industry, the Ontario government, First Nations and non-governmental organisations. The mineral finds in the area are raising hopes about economic boom-times, while First Nations struggle to deal with the onslaught of mining claims and exploration activities on their traditional territories, and conservation groups raise concerns about protecting critical wildlife habitats and water systems.

A new report, commissioned by MiningWatch Canada and written by Joan Kuyek, cuts through the hype and raises important questions about the viability and potential benefits of developing the area’s chromite deposits.

The report points out the uncertainty around demand for stainless steel (the primary use of chromite), and the challenge that Ring of Fire proponents will have in competing with existing operations currently operating below capacity. The remote location, lack of infrastructure, power demands, and water management challenges will add costs and technical challenges to any new mine in the region.

The 2010 Tom Peters Memorial Reclamation Award

January 2, 2011

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

This posting came from the Ontario Mining Association’s 90th Anniversary Publication (October/2010): http://www.oma.on.ca/en/resources/OMAat90three.pdf

The 2010 Tom Peters Memorial Reclamation Award was given to the Penokean Hills Field Naturalists (PHFN), the City of Elliot Lake and Rio Algom Limited for the work they did in converting the Milliken tailings management area (TMA) into a 182-ha wetland that includes marsh, bog and shoreline, as well as mature mixed forest.

The Milliken mine and mill operated from 1958 to 1964, producing 5.7 million tonnes of tailings to the Stanleigh TMA. During this period an estimated 76,500 tonnes of tailings were released to Sheriff Creek in an area later rehabilitated to form the Milliken TMA, This 17-ha area was remediated in the late 1970s. Drainage channels were installed on part of the tailings. The flat area that remained was covered by three feet of sandy gravel to form a ball field while the rest of the tailings area was flooded to form a wetland. The field was transformed in 1978 into an equestrian practice and competition field. In 1997, a berm was constructed at the outlet of the wetland to ensure the tailings remained saturated. In 2000, the berm and spillway were upgraded to safely cope with a probable maximum precipitation event.

In 1990, Erwin Meisner of the Penokean Hills Field Naturalists, asked Rio Algom whether it would consider transforming Sheriff Creek Park into the Sheriff Creek Bird Sanctuary. (The naturalists recognized the diversity of bird habitats that had evolved in the area.) With the support of Rio Algom, the PHFN secured support from the city and established a bird sanctuary at the park. In 1996, PHFN and Rio Algom entered into a “Stewardship Agreement” that identi¬fied operational objectives and prescribed activities for the sanctuary.

Responsible Mining at Barrick – Barrick Gold CEO Aaron Regent’s Viewpoint

December 27, 2010

Barrick Gold Corporation [Barrick] is a leading international gold producer, with a portfolio of 26 operating mines and nine advanced exploration and development projects located on five continents, and large land positions on many prospective mineral trends.

The following viewpoint came from the Barrick Gold Corporation 2009 Responsibility Report

In 2010, Barrick is focused on meeting production and cost targets, completing projects on budget and on time, and maintaining our strong financial position. These are all very important priorities; however, how we achieve these goals will be just as important as reaching them.

Over the past year since joining Barrick, I have met with a host of stakeholders – investors, government officials, our own employees, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and suppliers. Listening to them has provided great insight into many of the broader trends that are affecting the mining industry.

We are seeing increasingly high public expectations of how companies should conduct themselves. There is also greater scrutiny of the mining sector by critics, NGOs, communities, governments, and other stakeholders, especially in developing countries. This is coupled with calls for more reporting, accountability, and legislative oversight of the mining sector. We see similar trends in project financing, where a major part of the discussion now focuses on social and environmental issues.

Mining, as an extractive industry, has a significant impact on the communities and environments where we operate. In order to mine, we must disturb land and use both energy and water. Our operations can also have a social impact on local communities, for example through resettlement or shifting social dynamics. I believe our efforts and innovative approaches in managing and mitigating these impacts are making all the difference, as we generate meaningful benefits for our host communities.

The Renaissance of Mining in British Columbia – by Pierre Gratton

November 3, 2010November 3, 2010

This speech was given by Pierre Gratton, President & CEO of the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC), at the Vancouver Board of Trade Lunch on May 12, 2010.

“The Northwest Territories, where there are three major diamond mines, in the last 12 years have generated $600 million in Aboriginal business revenues, increased Aboriginal secondary school enrollment from 36 to 56 percent and reduced Aboriginal recipients on social assistance by 50 percent.” – Pierre Gratton, MABC President and CEO

“Whereas many industry sectors do not see aboriginal people as a workforce, consumers or partners, the mining sector has been on the leading edge of aboriginal inclusion efforts in employment, partnerships and business development for thirty five years.” Kelly Lendsay, President and CEO of the Aboriginal Human Resources Council

The Renaissance of Mining in British Columbia

Good afternoon.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge the Coast Salish First Nations whose traditional territory we are on today, and to thank the Vancouver Board of Trade for providing the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) with this opportunity to discuss the state of our province’s mining industry.

I wish to also thank my colleagues on the executive committee, board of directors and staff at MABC, who work tirelessly on behalf of the mining industry, along with friends and colleagues at AME BC and the Mining Suppliers Association of BC. Special thanks go to members of the Mining Week Committee for their hard work planning and organizing this week’s events.

Mining Week, a tradition for the past 103 years, celebrates the role this industry plays in making British Columbia a great place to live, work and play. This year we’ve partnered with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum and its annual conference to reach out to a broader industry and public audience. We’ve also expanded our activities, with events taking place in many communities across the province.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions – No Progress in Policy, Some Progress on the Ground – by Paul Stothart

December 8, 2010November 2, 2010

Paul Stothart is vice president, economic affairs of the Mining Association of Canada. He is responsible for advancing the industry’s interests regarding federal tax, trade, investment, transport and energy issues.

Throughout the history of the global environmental movement, no issue has seen anything approaching the elaborate policy structure and negotiation frameworks that surround the climate change and greenhouse gas mitigation area.

International climate change policy has been focused around the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for over 20 years. The IFCC is a United Nations entity created in 1988 that writes extensive reports, drawing upon input from 2500 scientific experts, 800 contributing authors, 450 lead authors, and 620 expert reviewers. IPCC reports typically stretch into the thousands of pages.

The UNFCCC has coordinated 15 Conference of the Parties (CoP) sessions over the past fifteen years. These sessions have in the past featured hundreds of environmental groups, business delegations, and government departments. Thousands of bureaucrats congregate at CoP sessions, often held in exotic locations that entail enormous travel distances and related airline GHG emissions. Between CoP sessions, numerous working groups interact and themselves congregate in sub-committee meetings at locations around the world. There are some 192 countries engaged in the UNFCCC process and these individual countries in turn support their policy discussions and documents with equally substantial resources and bureaucracies. Some countries, such as Australia and the UK, have created entire government departments around climate change policy.

In Canada, at least eight “climate change strategies” have been unveiled since the mid-1990s – five by Liberal governments and three by Conservatives – each plan outlining targets, actions, and commitments supported by the loftiest of communications rhetoric and printed on the glossiest of paper. Through the years, the federal government has outlined plans and processes for clean development mechanisms, offset systems, early action credits, technology funds, reduction targets, emission trading systems, cap and trade systems and carbon taxes. One particularly memorable offset document contained a 34 page glossary. The combined worth of these documents, plus a toonie, would today buy a Starbucks coffee.

STATEMENT BY PROSPECTORS AND DEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA REGARDING MEDIA REPORTS ON THE CANADIAN EXPLORATION AND MINING INDUSTRY

October 20, 2010

The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is a national association representing the mineral exploration and development industry. Its 7,000 individual and corporate members are involved in the exploration, discovery and development of new mines and new wealth. The PDAC’s annual convention is the world’s largest annual gathering of the mineral industry.

TORONTO, Canada (October 19, 2010) – The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) today issued the following statement regarding media reports on the Canadian exploration and mining industry:

“In August 2009 the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) commissioned the Canadian Centre for the Study of Resource Conflict to conduct an internal study on the public’s perception of the Canadian exploration and mining industry’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) record. The study was for internal industry deliberation to inform its ongoing thinking on CSR.

The study deals with unproven allegations, not proven violations.

The internal study suggests that Canadian exploration and mining companies are alleged to be involved in approximately 5 “incidents” per year, over the course of the study’s 10-year timeframe. This is consistent with the data collected and published by the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman of the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation.

To provide some perspective: Canada has 1,800 exploration and mining companies operating 10,000 projects in over 100 countries at any one time. Given this and the fact that Canada is the headquarters of more than 75 per cent of the world’s mining and exploration companies, the PDAC found the results encouraging but with room for improvement.

Canadian Mining Firms Worst for Environment, Rights: Report – by Toronto Star Reporter Les Whittington

October 20, 2010

Les Whittington is with the Ottawa Bureau of the Toronto Star, which has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on Canada’s federal and provincial politics as well as shaping public opinion. This article was originally published October 19, 2010.

OTTAWA—Canadian mining companies are far and away the worst offenders in environmental, human rights and other abuses around the world, according to a global study commissioned by an industry association but never made public.

“Canadian companies have been the most significant group involved in unfortunate incidents in the developing world,” the report obtained by the Toronto Star concludes.

“Canadian companies have played a much more major role than their peers from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States” in these incidents, says the Canadian Centre for the Study of Resource Conflict, an independent, non-profit think tank.

The problems involving Canada’s mining and exploration corporations go far beyond workplace issues. “Canadian companies are more likely to be engaged in community conflict, environmental and unethical behaviour, and are less likely to be involved in incidents related to occupational concerns.”

The research surfaced as a long, fierce political battle over legislation to tighten federal government scrutiny of Canadian mining operations abroad comes to a head. Bill C-300, a private member’s bill put forward by Toronto Liberal MP John McKay, will be voted on in the Commons next week.

The proportion of incidents globally that involve Canadian corporations is very large, according to the report. “Of the 171 companies identified in incidents involving mining and exploration companies over the past 10 years, 34 per cent are Canadian,” the Centre found.

It said the high incidence of involvement of Canadian companies is in line with the Canadian industry’s dominant position in global mining and exploration.

John Pollesel, Vale Canada COO and Director for Base Metal Operations North Atlantic, Speech to Sudbury Chamber of Commerce – October 13, 2010 – Sudbury, Ontario

June 10, 2015October 14, 2010

John Pollesel is the Director for Base Metal Operations North Atlantic and Chief Operating Officer for Vale Canada, reporting to Tito Martins, Executive Director Base Metals and Vale Canada Chief Executive Officer.

John Pollsel has extensive management experience, specializing in the mining industry where he has been employed for more than 20 years. He joined Vale in August of 2008 in the capacity of VP Sustainability and Business Services for the Ontario Operations and in July of 2009 was promoted to the role of VP Production Services and Support for the Canada/UK region and General Manager for Ontario Operations.

Mr. Pollesel is a Fellow of the Society of Management Accountants of Ontario and a Certified Management Accountant. He graduated from Laurentian University with a Masters degree in Business Administration and holds an Honors BA in Accounting from the University of Waterloo.

Our objective is to create a sustainable, profitable and long-term operation in Sudbury – contributing further decades of employment, economic growth and community support. There is an important caveat, however. We must demonstrate our willingness and ability to become a more productive and efficient operation. Aspiring to the status quo is simply no longer an option. – John Pollesel, Sudbury, Ont.

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Thank you, and good evening everyone. It’s a pleasure to have been invited to speak to you at your Chamber’s Annual General Meeting.

Vale is a proud member of the Chamber of Commerce and we’ve been active on the Chamber’s Board for many years. In fact, personally I was proud to have sat as a Board member a few years back.

Vale and the Chamber have enjoyed a very long and productive relationship together…the Chamber has been there for us during some tough times, and we’ve been there for the Chamber as an active partner on a number of fronts. It’s a beneficial and productive partnership that we look forward to continuing.

I want to especially recognize Debbi Nicholson, who has been an exemplary leader of the Chamber for more than 30 years.

Debbi – you lead with dignity, good business sense and a keen awareness of what is best for our community. I congratulate you and your team on all the things you’ve accomplished throughout your long tenure with the Greater Sudbury Chamber.

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Tonight, I am here to speak to you about Vale and our future in the Sudbury Basin.