Canada's Claim That It Champions Human Rights Is At Odds With Its Mining Practices

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Canada presents itself as a gender equality and human rights champion both at home and abroad. But it's also a global leader in mining, an industry with an abysmal human rights record.

Under the previous Conservative federal government, Canadian foreign aid was more directly aligned with mining and commercial interests . But when Liberal Justin Trudeau was elected in 2015, it appeared to signal a return to more“progressive” values.

Read more: Justin Trudeau's resignation creates a progressive void in Canada, part of a long-established cycle

The launch of the Feminist International Assistance Policy in 2017 was a powerful symbol in this direction. But despite Canadian mining companies being accused of environmental and human rights violations in various countries , the Liberal government continues to actively support mining abroad.

Canada is a global mining powerhouse , home to almost half of the world's publicly listed mining and mineral exploration companies.

According to 2023 data , Canadian mining companies operate in 95 foreign countries and the value of Canadian mining assets totalled $336.7 billion. Half of Canadian foreign mining assets are located in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Peru is a key mining partner; 71 firms operate in the country and Canada has nearly $10 billion of mining assets in the South American country . Canada has the largest number of mining exploration projects in Peru at 24, and ranks third (after the United Kingdom and Peru itself) in terms of mining exploration investments .

At last year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Lima, Trudeau announced investments to create “a better future by focusing on a healthier planet and equal opportunities for all .” These included initiatives to support women's and girls' rights as well as improving access to the justice system for Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian communities.

Trudeau also announced the creation of a Canada-Peru Dialogue of Critical Minerals and Mining Sustainability .

But can Canada be both a human rights champion and a global mining leader? While Canada describes its mining industry as sustainable and socially responsible , human rights organizations paint a different picture.

Canadian mining companies have been accused in Peru of environmental contamination, criminalizing community leaders, land dispossession and the violation of Indigenous self-determination . Canada has also supported Peruvian mining law reforms in favour of foreign mining investment.

Canada's support of the current and highly unpopular Dina Boluarte government, which ousted left-wing president Pedro Castillo in 2022, points to the ongoing prioritization of mining interests over human rights , even those of Canadian citizens .

Castillo meanwhile had proposed a plan to renegotiate mining contracts with multinational companies so that more profits stayed in Peru .

Reports have shown that women bear the brunt of mining's negative impacts , which include gender violence, economic and food insecurity and health problems .

Women human rights defenders confronting extractive industries also face gender-specific risks and challenges . Indigenous women are often at the forefront of resisting extractive projects .

Despite the bold ambitions of Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy to promote a“more peaceful, more inclusive and more prosperous world,” critics have highlighted several weaknesses and challenges.

Among them: insufficient funding , its instrumentalist approach (when women are used for broader economic and political goals), as well as its emphasis on neoliberal capitalist growth and the private sector .

Some have also highlighted its lack of coherence with other policy areas , including trade and security, its support for Israel and its treatment of Indigenous women in Canada .

Read more: Canada's inaction in Gaza marks a failure of its feminist foreign policy

My ongoing research with civil society organizations in Peru suggests that Canada is providing much-needed and highly appreciated support for women's rights, LGTBQ+ and Indigenous women's organizations, namely through its Women's Voice and Leadership Program . The positive impacts of such initiatives should not be overlooked.

But even though these projects - often short-term - may benefit some people and some organizations, they often fail to tackle the structural causes of poverty and gender inequality. They also neglect to take into account Canada's role in creating and maintaining global inequalities through its disruptive mining activities.

Read more: The role of Canadian mining in the plight of Central American migrants

For years, Canadian civil society organizations have been demanding greater accountability and regulation for Canadian overseas corporations. Despite promises to hold companies accountable for abuses abroad with the creation of the Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise, the Trudeau government has been criticized for failing to deliver on these pledges .

With the possible election of a Conservative federal government in the coming months, it's unlikely that tightening regulations for private Canadian companies operating in other countries will be a priority.

Despite its feminist ambitions, taking a closer look at Canada's role in countries where it has significant mining interests reveals a more complex and nuanced image of Canada in the world.

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