In November, 2008, Alexandra Mendes, Member of Parliament for Brossard-La Prairie, received over 1,000 postcards from the annual Development and Peace campaign. These cards called for the federal government to hold Canadian mining companies responsible for their actions overseas.

Mrs. Mendes responded very positively to the campaign and officially signed a card addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. She expressed her intention of officially presenting the cards in the House of Commons.

Members of Development and Peace are continuing their meetings with Members of Parliament in order to increase the visibility of the organization’s new campaign. This time, they visited the MP for the Louis-Hébert riding, Pascal-Pierre Paillé.

“Ecological disasters caused abroad by the negligence of certain Canadian mining companies hurt entire communities and contribute to damage the reputation of Canada” said Jocelyne Couillard, a member of the delegation. Over 1,000 action cards, signed by the citizens of Louis-Hébert, were presented to the MP. The photo above depicts Mrs. Couillard, Mr. Paillé, Roger Bélisle and Pierre Godin.

Three members of Development and Peace in Beauce, Quebec (Luc Paré, René Baillargeon and Denis Vallée) and Mudzo Marachro, a Congolese refugee who just became a Canadian citizen, recently handed Member of Parliament Maxime Bernier 351 postcards signed by members of his riding. These cards asked the Prime Minister to put in place legal measures to ensure that Canadian mining companies are responsible for their activities abroad.

The delegation also informed the MP about the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the  African Great Lakes region. A press release sent out by the members mentioned that “Bernier said that he was moved by the concrete testimony of this Congolese woman that is so different from what is often transmitted by official channels”. Moreover, “the MP committed to discuss with his colleagues” the issue of the corporate social responsibility.

On December 16, 2008, Gaston Savage and Darquise Poupart, Development and Peace members from the Orléans region, met with their Member of Parliament, Mr. Royal Galipeau.

Mr. Galipeau reaffirmed his interest in the Development and Peace campaign and asked the members to send him more campaign cards in English and to contact other MPs in the region.

Mr. Galipeau was present during the 40th anniversary celebrations of Development and Peace and presented the organization with a commemorative plaque.

A video of members talking about their best practices organizing local groups, campaigns and activities is now available on YouTube!

Filmed at the 2007 Growing Justice leadership conference, a selection of leaders from across the country reflect on those practices that have worked best for them. Get inspired! Click on the links below.

Ottawa members enjoy meeting

Three Eastern Ontario Fall Action meetings reached 68 members and parish reps. Highlights included members acting out the “We are not going away” play, and the participation of parish representatives who are or have been farmers and are very interested and involved in land and food security issues already.

Another highlight was the full participation and leadership of Diocesan Council members Larry Martin, Joan O’Connell and Paul McGuire. Each had participated in the August Fall Action training with staff in Arnprior, near Ottawa. Says new Ottawa-based Eastern Ontario animator Ann-Christina Gamillscheg, “They passed the knowledge and tools on to me and to the other diocesan leaders at the mini-regional in September.”

These members showed a great deal of leadership at all three Fall Action meetings. One leader said that they felt very empowered by the experienced, another that even though it is a lot of work, it is an energizing experience. 

The Ottawa DC hopes to follow a similar model next year for involving leaders in the planning and implementation of the Fall Action campaign throughout the region.

The Mining Association of Canada recently published Fact and Figures 2008. One chapter of this annual report is dedicated to the presence and influence of Canadian mining companies in the world. According to this text, nearly 1,000 exploration companies are operating abroad, and Canadian companies have around 4,900 mining projects in different stages of development overseas.

To see the complete report, click here: http://www.mining.ca

CAFOD, a sister agency of Development and Peace in the UK, recently published an enlightening report on how BHP Biliton, one of the world’s largest and most powerful mining companies, has not lived up to its responsibilities to meet the high corporate standards demanded by its role.

Kept in the Dark, part of CAFOD’s ongoing Unearth Justice campaign, contains evidence supporting community members’ claims that they have been excluded from discussions and prevented from having an informed say over this proposed nickel mine.

Community members say that bribery by AMCOR, a Billiton partner, has been used to buy support and silence opposition. They fear that their local environment, way of life and means of earning a living are under threat.

Read the executive summary to find out more kept_in_the_dark_exec_summary

Visit the CAFOD website for more on the campaign, including the full 36-page report.  www.cafod.org.uk

Bishop Albert LeGatt of Saskatoon signed the action card for Development and Peace’s Fall Campaign on mining as part of the Saskatoon Diocese’s October 23 kick-off of the 2008 campaign. The event was organized by members of the St. Thomas More Just Youth group, which has set a goal of returning 750 signed Action Cards this year.