Update and submissions to the Modernizing Ontario's Mining Act consultation process
Mining Watch press release ...
Modernizing Mining in Ontario
Friday October 31, 2008
On August 5th 2008, the Ontario government announced a public consultation process to "modernize the Ontario Mining Act". The consultations were focused around the government’s discussion paper Modernizing Ontario’s Mining Act, Finding a Balance posted online on August 11th. Closed door stakeholder and open public consultations took place from August 11th to September 8th in Timmins, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Kingston and Toronto. Written submissions were accepted up to October 15th.
Northern Ontario Business reports that the Government plans on introducing a first draft of new legislation before Christmas 2008.
Due to concerns from a variety of First Nations and their political organizations, an additional consultation period with First Nations is ongoing until November 12. According to the Nishnawbe Aski Nation this is still not an adeaquate amount of time to have a proper community-based consultation process.
Several northern municipalities also asserted that the time for consultation was too brief but no additional consultation period was provided for municipalities or other stakeholders.
Below we've posted submissions to the consultation process or related press releases from MiningWatch Canada, First Nations, other NGOs and the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada.
MiningWatch Canada's submission to the consultation process calls for comprehensive and integrated reforms.
Kitchenumahykoosib Inninuwug Chief Donny Morris' press statement deconstructs "colonial doctrines of discovery".
Kitchenumahykoosib Inninuwug's submission calls on the government to respect international principles on aboriginal rights.
Press statement by Ontario First Nations (Nishnawabe-Aski Nation and the Oski-Machiitawin Chiefs Steering Committee) encourage municipalities, industry to join demand for more time for mining consultations
Ecojustice and the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy outline details of a Mining Modernization Act to curtail the Free Entry System and address environmental and social concerns around mining.
The Canadian Boreal Initiative calls for a permitting system, free prior and informed consent, land-use planning and financial assurances during exploration.
The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada says that major reforms are not necessary.
> MWC_Mining_Act_Submission_(2).pdf
> CBI_Mining_reform_ON_submission.pdf
> Ecojustice_CIELAP_Balancing_Needs.pdf
> KI_Chiefs_Speech_FINAL1_-_Oct_10_2008.pdf
> KI-Mining_Submission_Final1-Laura.pdf