Canadian mining and ill health in Latin America: a call to action

Abstract

This commentary argues that Canada's public and global health communities have a special ethical and political responsibility to act to reverse the harms associated with Canadian mining activities in Latin America and beyond through advocacy, research, and using their public voice. We begin with an overview of the direct and indirect health effects of mining, drawing especially on Latin America where 50-70% of mining activity involves Canadian companies. Then we examine the judicial, legislative, financial, and diplomatic contexts that make Canada such a welcome host and champion of the mining sector. Finally, we turn to the responsibility of the public and global health communities, offering concrete recommendations for using research, practical expertise public health solidarity networks, and political clout to speak out and advocate for policies that redress the harms caused by mining.

Mining, Colonial Legacies, and Neoliberalism: A Political Ecology of Health Knowledge Minerıa, legados coloniales y neoliberalismo: una ecologıa polıtica del conocimiento en salud

“…36,49 Milestones included the establishment of the Devonshire Initiative, a national industry-civil society CSR organization; the use of Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funds to support mining company-nongovernmental organization partnerships abroad; and the eventual elimination of CIDA by the Harper government. 11,12,36 Following review by a panel that included the CEO of Rio Tinto Alcan and the founding director of the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (founded with $35 M donated by Barrick's Peter Munk), CIDA was merged in 2013 with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, reflecting the conceit that mining-led development would improve living conditions in the global South and a dedicated development agency would therefore be redundant. 12 This mining-led foreign policy would crystallize in the November 2013 Global Markets Action Plan, which specified that "all diplomatic assets of the Government of Canada will be marshalled on behalf of the private sector" (quoted in Coumans 36 ).…”

“…11,12,36 Following review by a panel that included the CEO of Rio Tinto Alcan and the founding director of the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (founded with $35 M donated by Barrick's Peter Munk), CIDA was merged in 2013 with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, reflecting the conceit that mining-led development would improve living conditions in the global South and a dedicated development agency would therefore be redundant. 12 This mining-led foreign policy would crystallize in the November 2013 Global Markets Action Plan, which specified that "all diplomatic assets of the Government of Canada will be marshalled on behalf of the private sector" (quoted in Coumans 36 ). Consistent with this strategy, Prime Minister Harper announced in 2013 that Canada would establish the Canadian International Institute for Extractive Industries and Development (a name that would subsequently be changed) at a Canadian university.…”

“…11 , 12 , 36 Following review by a panel that included the CEO of Rio Tinto Alcan and the founding director of the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (founded with $35 M donated by Barrick’s Peter Munk), CIDA was merged in 2013 with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, reflecting the conceit that mining-led development would improve living conditions in the global South and a dedicated development agency would therefore be redundant. 12 …”

“…For example, funding by controversial mining companies of universities and healthcare facilities in Toronto has infamously been accompanied by racist portrayals of the global South countries from which Canadian companies extract enormous wealth. [12][13][14] Tools available to address these patterns include conflict-of-interest analyses, but these typically lack rigorous attention to the larger suite of factors shaping knowledge production. 15,16 As a result, studies of corporate influence on health and science have been criticized for conceptualizing industry, and structures such as neoliberalism or colonialism, in simplistic and monolithic ways.…”

“…For example, funding by controversial mining companies of universities and healthcare facilities in Toronto has infamously been accompanied by racist portrayals of the global South countries from which Canadian companies extract enormous wealth. 12 – 14 …”