Latin American Countries Allege Canadian Mining Companies Pollute Water Supplies, Seek Human Rights Intervention
Representatives from six Latin American countries—Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Argentina—testified before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. They allege that mining operations controlled by Canadian companies are contaminating local water sources, impacting millions of people. The testimonies highlighted threats to biodiverse habitats, human health, and freshwater systems due to policies that permit polluting foreign industries. Witnesses also pointed out the severe risks faced by environmental defenders in the region, which is historically the most dangerous globally for such activists. Last year, Colombia recorded 39 activist murders, followed by Brazil with 26 and Honduras with 12. These allegations come shortly after Canada eliminated its Office of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), an entity designed to oversee and investigate Canadian companies operating abroad. This decision has drawn widespread criticism from human rights and envir...
