Political Support through Embassies

Case Study

Glamis Gold in Guatemala¹

In 2002, Glamis Gold Ltd. (acquired by Goldcorp Inc. in 2006) began development of the Marlin gold mine in Guatemala. Marlin is the first major mining investment in Guatemala since neo-liberal reforms were introduced to attract global mining capital. The project is an important test case for the mining industry, which hopes to profit from the new frontier that Guatemala represents.

On November 4, 2004, a national newspaper released a survey indicating that 95.5 percent of people living near the Marlin mine, the vast majority of whom are indigenous, opposed the project. On the same day, in the same newspaper, then Canadian ambassador to Guatemala, James Lambert, published an article citing the benefits of mining to some 200 indigenous communities in Canada.

The following month, the Canadian embassy co-sponsored a National Mining Forum to showcase the mining industry. These events cemented the perception among Guatemalan civil society that the embassy was more interested in promoting Canadian mining interests than human rights.

On January 11, 2005, after a 40 day-blockade, hundreds of residents who opposed the Marlin mine engaged in a stand-off with 700 military and 300 police. One resident was killed and 10 others (including police) were injured. In June of the same year, indigenous communities in Sipacapa, an area affected by the project, held referenda on mining. An overwhelming majority voted against mineral development.

In press reports, Ambassador Lambert defended his controversial article. He argued that the embassy has a mandate to promote both Canadian interests and Canadian values such as sustainable development, and that "the two are not mutually contradictory... Far from being damaging, the fact that we have real interests at stake in Guatemala enhances our credibility locally."²

Case Study

TVI Pacific in the Philippines

Calgary-based TVI Pacific Inc., through its Philippine affiliate, TVI Resource Development (Phils.) Inc., is currently operating a mining concession on indigenous land on the island of Mindanao, amidst a decades-old violent civil insurgency. TVI has been the focus of highly public and sustained opposition by local indigenous Subanon (who hold Ancestral Domain Claim to the area), as well as by local small scale miners, downstream Christianized farmers and coastal Muslim fishing communities. Opposition to the mine has been raised a number of times by indigenous representatives at the UN level and has been highlighted by United Nations special rapporteur Rudolfo Stavenhagen. There have been violent conflicts involving TVI personnel and security forces.

All of these issues are well-known at the Canadian Embassy in Manila, as are charges of forced evictions at the site. Nonetheless, Ambassador Peter Sutherland has maintained a high profile, public relationship with the company and has remained publicly supportive of the mining project.³ Following recommendations by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade that the Government of Canada investigate the activities of TVI in the Philippines and not "promote" the company until the investigation is completed, Ambassador Sutherland was quoted in the Philippine media as saying "[w]e will support TVI in every ways (sic) we can as we consider this matter (local opposition to TVI) as a purely private sector initiative to resolve."⁴