“…Agreements between mining companies and local communities thereby come to be seen as a more or less private matter, albeit regulated to some extent through legislation. In Canada, for example, private mining companies are now compelled by law to sign impact and benefit agreements with indigenous communities before extraction may begin, formally removing the central state from the equation (Campbell & Prémont, 2017;Craik et al, 2017;Grant et al, 2014). Such developments have been criticised as a form of commodification of what should ultimately be a central state responsibility, and for burdening private companies with responsibilities for which they are not suited (Harvey, 2014;Stanley, 2016).…”