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December 9, 2011
Re: Criticism of Environmental, Social and Human Rights Due Diligence by Export Development Canada and the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
Dear Sirs and Madams:**
We are writing to express our serious concern about the environmental and social due diligence process employed by Export Development Canada and the U.S. Export-Import Bank. The process lacks transparency, neutrality and credibility.
Joint Civil Society Statement on IFC’s Draft Sustainability Framework
In December 2010, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) published the final proposed draft of its revised Sustainability Framework, which is intended to manage social and environmental risks associated with IFC activities. The undersigned civil society organisations are writing to express our deep concern that the current draft does not include adequate safeguards to ensure that the human rights of people and communities affected by IFC’s activities are respected and protected. Indeed, the removal of references to human rights that were included by IFC in its previous draft creates an impression that IFC is willing to pursue investment and development at the expense of human rights.
Fred P. Hochberg
President
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Washington, D.C.
[Via e-mail]
May 10, 2010
Re: Pascua Lama
Dear President Hochberg,
It has come to our attention that the Ex-Im Bank has received a request to finance the binational Pascua Lama mine. We are writing to strongly urge that the Ex-Im Bank reject financing for the Pascua Lama mine.
Commenting on The Social and Environmental Sustainability Policy, Performance Standards and Disclosure Policy
Introduction
The undersigned civil society organizations have prepared this joint submission to provide an overview of many of our concerns related to IFC’s Policy on Social and Environmental Sustainability, the Performance Standards, related guidance documents, and the Disclosure Policy. We believe these concerns should be explored and addressed further through IFC’s current consultation and review process.
Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Re: Forthcoming G-20 meeting on the global financial crisis
Dear Prime Minister:
As you head to London next week for the second Group of Twenty (G-20) meeting, we are writing to urge Canadian leadership on four key issues related to the impact of the financial crisis on poor countries that we feel have been neglected up until now.
To date, your government has focused primarily on addressing the immediate fallout of the financial crisis, and has taken steps to restore the flow of credit and consumer confidence, boost spending, and create jobs. Canada has also encouraged G-20 countries to avoid protectionist measures that will only exacerbate the current climate.
December 22, 2008
The Honourable James Flaherty
Minister of Finance
Department of Finance Canada
140 O’Connor Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G5
Dear Minister Flaherty:
Re: 2008 consultation with respect to the “Official Development Assistance Accountability Act”
The World Bank
Washington, D.C. 20433
U.S.A.
Edith Grace Ssempala
Acting Senior Vice President External Affairs
October 26, 2008
Dear colleagues,
Thank you for your letter regarding voice and participation of developing and transition countries in the governance of the World Bank Group. Mr. Zoellick asked me to respond, and I am therefore requesting that the Bretton Woods Project transmit this to all those who signed the letter.
November 5, 2007
Ms. Karyn Keenan
Program Officer
Halifax Initiative
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa ON KIN 1H5
Dear Ms. Keenan:
This is in response to your letter of September 17. Your letter contains many questions and comments which I will answer by focusing on the key issues that you raise.
The first issue raised refers to Export Development Canada’s practices related to public consultations and whether this is a requirement of our environmental review process.
July 16, 2007
Karyn Keenan
Program Officer
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street
Ottawa ON KIN 1H5
Dear Ms. Keenan:
I am writing to comment on the recent report, Dirty Business, Dirty Practices: How the Federal Government Supports Canadian Mining, Oil and Gas Companies Abroad, to which you contributed. Firstly, let me acknowledge the efforts that the Halifax Initiative and others have made to participate in the discussion and debate around Canadian government support to Canadian mining and oil and gas companies operating abroad. This is a topic that concerns us all.
Pdf of letter
Executive Directors to the World Bank
World Bank Group
1818 H Street, NW, MC 13-137
Washington, DC 20433, USA
Re: Statement on the IFC-financed Marlin Mine, Guatemala by Civil Society Organizations
Dear Mr. Executive Director,
May 31, 2005
Mr. Gino Alzetta
Belgian Executive Director to the World Bank
Office of the British Executive Director to the World Bank
MC 12-041
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433, USA
Dear Mr. Alzetta,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with us during the week of spring meetings, April 10th to the 16th. We appreciate the opportunity to share our concerns regarding World Bank Group (WBG) support for Glamis Gold's Marlin Mine in Guatemala. We are writing to: (i) update you on our conversations with the staff of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) during our meeting with them on Thursday April 14th; (ii) identify areas of ongoing concern, and; (iii) request your support in resolving problems surrounding this project.
February 28, 2005
Indigenous Peoples Coordinator
Mailstop MC5-523
World Bank
1818 H Street
NW Washington DC 20433 USA
Email: indigenouspeoples@worldbank.org
RE: Comments on Revised Draft Operational Policy on Indigenous Peoples (Revised Draft OP 4.10)
Dear Indigenous Peoples Coordinator,
Please find below our comments on the Draft Operational Policy on Indigenous Peoples (Revised Draft OP 4.10).
We the undersigned Canadian organizations and representatives are writing to highlight the need for the World Bank to strengthen its draft OP 4.10 in order to ensure that the policy sufficiently meets international standards and guarantees on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
In our opinion, for the operational policy to be seen to be credible and effective it must contain mandatory provisions that:
October 27, 2003
Mr. A. Ian Gillespie
President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor street,
Ottawa, ON K1A 1K3
The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew
Minister of International Trade
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
125 Sussex Drive, Tower B, 5th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Re.: Draft OECD recommendation on Common Approaches on Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits: 2003 Review – Revised version 1
Dear Mr. Gillespie and Minister Pettigrew:
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to comment on the ‘Common Approaches on Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits: 2003 Review – Revised version 1’ (Rev. 1).
Marcel Massé
Executive Director for Canada
International Finance Corporation
1818 H St. NW
Washington DC, 20433
USA
October 8, 2003
Dear Mr Massé,
July 28, 2003
Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
NGO Working Group on the EDC
Halifax Initaitive
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 1H5
Dear Mr. Reilly-King:
Thank you for your letter of May 16, 2003, concerning the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Project in China. I regret the delay in replying to you.
December 12, 2002
Mr. James Wolfensohn
President
The World Bank Group
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20433 U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Wolfensohn,
We are writing to express dismay at the recent Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman report on the MIGA guarantee of the Bulyanhulu gold mine and to request your urgent intervention.
The CAO is a mechanism that non-governmental organizations have pushed hard to establish. Your personal support for the initiative played a major role in ensuring that the CAO was established. As all parties have observed, the CAO's effectiveness rests on the respect and trust it enjoys amongst the public: integrity, transparency, even¬handedness and thoroughness are thus critical to all aspects of its work.
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
The following letter was sent to the Prime Minister with copies to the Finance Minister and the Foreign Affairs Minister on March 14, 2002. It was signed by leaders representing over 100 Canadian development, social justice, labour and faith organizations.
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Centre Block, 309-S
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
March 14, 2002
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing to you, as representatives of Canadian non-governmental organizations, to express our dismay at the proposed outcomes of the UN Financing for Development process and Canada’s role in the negotiations leading to it. We call urgently for renewed leadership on the road to Kananaskis.
7 February 2001
President Gustavo NoboaPalacio de Gobierno
García Moreno 1043
Quito
Ecuador
Dear President Noboa:
We write to you as representatives of civil-society organizations concernedabout the impact of IMF- and World Bank-imposed structural adjustment programs around the world. We are alarmed by reports of violent suppression by your government of the legitimate public protests against the most recently implemented adjustment program in Ecuador. We urge you to cease this repression and to launch a national dialogue to find lasting solutions to the pressing economic and social problems confronting your country.
Terrie O' Leary
Executive Director for Canada
World Bank Group
1818 H St. NW
Washington, DC 20433
June 4, 2000
Dear Ms. O' Leary,
We are writing to express our serious concerns related to a proposed IFC investment, the Niger Delta Contractor Revolving Credit Facility, and to urge you to vote against this project. This project involves IFC and the Shell Petroleum Development Company teaming up to provide credit to Nigerian contractors who are providing services to Shell.
October 8, 1999
Hon. Pierre Pettigrew
Minister for International Trade
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G2
By FAX: 996-8924
Eight pages including this page
Dear Minister Pettigrew,
This letter contains the formal response of the Working Group on the EDC to the Report on the Review of the Export Development Act, conducted by the firm Gowling, Strathy & Henderson.
The Working Group on the EDC is a coalition of Canadian non-governmental organizations concerned about the human and environmental impact of export financing agencies. The Working Group, which is a project of the Halifax Initiative, promotes adherence by export credit agencies, particularly the Export Development Corporation, to internationally accepted standards regarding human rights, environment and sustainable development.
Open Letter to Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank, from 86 NGOs in 28 Countries Concerning the Chad/Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Project
July 9, 1998
James D. Wolfensohn, President
The World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433 Dear Mr. Wolfensohn, The 86 undersigned environment, development, human rights and religious organizations from 28 countries call upon you to suspend World Bank participation in the Chad/Cameroon Oil & Pipeline project until respect for human rights and compliance with World Bank environmental and other policies can be fully guaranteed.We are writing to draw your attention to the especially troublesome situation, including the severe violation of human rights, in southern Chad and to the inadequacy of the environmental impact assessment and environmental management plan for the project submitted to the Bank by Exxon.
