The Social Injury From the Plan Nord and Non-consensual Resource Extraction

7/30/2019 The Social Injury From the Plan Nord and Non-consensual Resource Extraction

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The university is in a privileged

position to lead on such issues, and

therefore has a responsibility to

preserve that position whenever

possible by ensuring that the

university is not tied to destructive

industriesorinitiatives.

-McGillStudent

THESOCIALINJURYFROMTHEPLANNORDANDNON-CONSENSUALRESOURCEEXTRACTION

ByDivestMcGill

Summary

he students, alumni, faculty, and staff of McGill University have made clear their

strongdesiretoseeresponsibleinvestmentpracticesbeadoptedbythisUniversity.

McGillmustdivestitsholdingsincompanieslobbyingforthePlanNordandincompanies

doingbusinessonnativelandwithoutthepermissionofthenativecommunitieswhoown

theland.

The PlanNord is amassive giveaway to corporations

that will occur on the land of the First Nations and Inuit

peoplesofNorthernQuebecwithouttheirpermissions.McGill

maintainsinvestmentsincompanieslobbyingforthePlan.

Similar projects exist across Canada, including in

Alberta and British Colombia. Across the world, manycorporationsdobusinessonthetraditional,protectedlandofnativecommunitieswithout

theirfreeandpriorconsent.

Thesignificantlegal protectionsaffordedaboriginal peoplesandcommunities are

oftenviolatedandwillfullyignored.

WerequiresignificantactionfromtheBoardofGovernorstoredressthissituation.

ItisclearthatactionisneededtoensurethatthisUniversitysinvestmentsareinlinewithourvalues.

LegalBacking

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I will never donate

moneytoMcGillifmy

moneywill end upin

theseplaces.

-McGillAlumna

ndigenouscommunitiestheworldoverareprotectedbytheUnitedNationsDeclaration

ontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples, 1whichprovidesforthecollectiveandindividual

rightsneededtosafeguardnativepeoplesculturesandreligions,landsandterritory,and

self-determinationandconsensualgovernance.CanadaisasignatorytotheDeclaration.

In particular, the Declaration protects the rights of indigenous

peoplestotheirland,whichmaynotbetakenorputtouseswithoutfree

andpriorconsentofthecommunities,andmorespecificallytherightsof

aboriginal peoples to maintain their cultural, spiritual, economic, and

conservationpracticesontheirtraditionalland.2

First Nations and Inuit peoples in Canada are afforded additional enumerated

protectionsbytheCharterofRightsandFreedoms,3throughsections35and35.1ofthe

Charter,4whichreaffirmsthegovernmentscommitmenttoexistingaboriginalandtreaty

rights,includingtheDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples.

Despitethesignificantlegalprotectionsofaboriginalpeoples,thoseprotectionsare

oftenignoredandwillfullyviolatedbystatesandcorporations.Inparticular,thetraditional

territoriesofFirstNationscommunitiesinNorthAmericaoftenlieovermineralorfossilfuel reservesor lie in the way of infrastructureprojects; inAlberta,native peoples live

overtopofandaroundtarsandsreserves,5whileinQuebecnativepeoplesliveovertopof

andaroundsignificantmineraldeposits,riverswithhydroelectricpotential,andareaswith

highwindenergypotential.InBritishColumbia,nativepeoplesliveinthewayofplanned

1UnitedNations.UnitedNationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples(NewYork:107

thPlenary

Meeting,13Sept2007).2Appendix1fullyenumeratestherelevantarticlesoftheDeclaration.3GovernmentofCanada.ConstitutionActs,1867to1982:TheCanadianCharterofRightsandFreedom s

(GovernmentofCanada:1982).4Appendix2fullyenumeratestherelevantarticlesoftheCharter.5Seethe_________________________________brief

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Plan Nord represents

further environmental

damage to our country.

Surely any good and

beneficialdevelopmentin

the north can be made

withtheconsentofthose

that live and own the

land?

-McGillStudent

pipelinestransportingoilfromtheTarSands,6andsimilarlyinQuebecproposedhighways

andhigh-capacityelectriclinestraverseNorthernaboriginalcommunities.7

PlanNord

uebecs Plan Nord constitutes a massive giveaway to some of the largest, dirtiest

companies on theplanet andprovides for extraordinaryenvironmentaldestruction

across huge swaths of Northern Quebec. Much of this will occur on native land, as the

voicesofindigenouspeoplesfallonthedeafearsofpoliticians.

ThePlanNordisaplanproposedbythegovernmentofQuebec

toexploitNorthernQuebec.Calledtheprojectofageneration,this

25-year project will incorporate $80 billion in public and private

funding.8Itcoversover72%ofQuebec,mostofthelandofthe49 th

Parallel.9 Almost 1 in 4 of the 120,000 people in the region are of

aboriginaldescent;thisincludes16,000membersoftheCreeNation,

16,000membersof the InnuNation, 1,000membersof theNaskapi

Nation, and 10,000 Inuit people living mainly in 14 northern

6Mickleburgh,Rod.B.C.NativesWillingtoGototheWallAgainstEnbridgePipeline(Vancouver:TheGlobeand

Mail,30July2012).77GouvernementduQubec.MinistredesRessourcesnaturellesetdelaFaune.PlanNord:BuildingNorthern

QuebecTogether:TheProjectofaGeneration(Quebec,2011).

8Brandon,Jaqueline.StillWeColonize(McGillDaily,25Oct2012).

9GouvernementduQubec.MinistredesRessourcesnaturellesetdelaFaune.PlanNord:BuildingNorthern

QuebecTogether:TheProjectofaGeneration(Quebec,2011).8.

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villages.1011IftheplanisimposedontheNorth,corporations,includingHydro-Quebec,will

build hydroelectric dams, log the forests, construct poisonous mines, and building a

tremendousnetworkofroads,ports,andairportstosupportthecolonialproject.

Despite intense opposition by many of the native peoples of Northern Quebec,

environmentalists, and students, the new Parti Quebec government seems unwilling to

change course. The sovereign nations of Quebec have been largely shut out of the

discussion.AccordingtoarepresentativeoftheInnuNation,12

Malheureusement,pourlinstant,nousnesentonspasquenousnesommes

partieprenantedefaonpleineetentireaveclegouvernementduQubec

DispossessionandDestruction

lanNordhasbeendescribedastheTarSandsoftheEast:dispossessionofindigenous

communitiesanddestructionof theenvironment inone.13Indeed,DeniseJourdain

explainedheroppositiontothePlan,saying,Iamfightingfortherecognitionofourrights

andtoprotectourland,theNitassinan.WesaynotoPlanNordbecauseitwouldmeanour

destruction.14Jourdain,anInnulanguageteacher,walked900kilometresfromSept-Ilesto

Montreal to draw attention to the environmental destruction that caused by the

infrastructureprojectsandwas one of twelvewomen jailedby the state for blockading



11ConsultAppendix3toseethelocationofFirstNationandInuitCommunitiesinNorthernQuebec.

12Meteopolitique.PlanNordduQuebec:Contre,Pour,entrelesdeuxousansopinion.

13Brandon,Jaqueline.StillWeColonize(McGillDaily,25Oct2012).14IndigenousSolidarityMontreal.PressRelease:LeadingIndigenousOpponentsofPlanNordtoHoldPress

ConferencetoChallengeBusinessConvention(ForumAnti-ColonialContrelePlanNord:28Sept2012).

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Investment inPlanNord and the tarsandsdoesnotfollowMcGill'sstated

intentions. Your integrity is only as

strongandastruthfulasyourword.

-McGillStudent

Highway138tostopHydro-Quebecfrominstallingahigh-powertransmissionlineacross

theirland.

ThePlaninvolvesopeninguptheNorthtosomeofthe dirtiest industries on the planet, to tremendous

localizeddestruction.TheNorthproducesallofQuebecs

platinum, nickel, and zinc, andmost of its gold;mining

could be expanded to exploit reserves of uranium,

lithium,diamonds,andrare-earthmetals.15While thegovernment nominally designated

select regions for environmental protection, the Environmental Minister of the ousted

Charest government suggested thattheprotection offeredwouldnotprecludemining.16

The process to extract many of these minerals creates extraordinary environmental

damagethatcanpersistforyears,includingtheleachingofheavymetalsintothesoiland

groundwater, deforestation and the destruction of animal habitats, and the release of

mercuryintotheairandwater.17

Many of the traditional hunting and fishing practices of native communities are

threatenedbythePlan.AconfidentialreportfromtheMinistredesRessourcesnaturelles

etdelaFauneobtainedbyLeDevoir 18warnsthatalldevelopmentonforestedCreeland

must stop for the threatened population of caribou to reestablish itself, and many

indigenous peopleshaveexpressedconcern thatHydro-Quebecs proposeddamswill do

irreparableharmtoriverecosystems.



16Squires,Jessica.JeanCharestsDestructivePlanNord(Rabble,2Apr2012).

17Larmer,Brook.TheRealPriceofGold(NationalGeographic,Jan2009).18Nadeau,Jessica.PlanNordNouvellemenacepourlecaribouforestier:Lescoupesforestiresetle

prolongementdelaroute167accentuentledclindelaharde(LeDevoir,30Aug2012).


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Let us dare to be wise

and respectful, I no

longer wish to stand for

anythingotherwise.

-McGillAlumna

Elyse Vollant, an Innushku woman from Maliotenam, decried the Plan Nord,19

saying,PlanNorditwilldestroytheNitassinanlandandHydroQuebecwilldamagethe

rivers.

McGillUniversitysInvestmentsinthePlanNord

dentifyingthecompaniesthatlobbyfororwillparticipateinthePlanNordisdifficult,as

thePlanisnotyetimplementedandmostcorporationsarenotpublicwiththeirinterest.

TheDecember2011reportonthePubliclyTradedEquityHoldingsoftheUniversityisthe

mostrecentdataavailableonMcGillscurrentinvestments,andallinformationonthe

compositionofMcGillsinvestmentscomesfromthatlist.

McGillinvestsin645publiclytradedcorporations.15areinvolvedinthePlanNord,

2.3%oftheUniversitysuniqueholdings.Thenumberofsharesineachisnotpublicly

availableatthistime,althoughAccesstoInformationrequestsfiledundertheAct

respectingaccesstodocumentsheldbypublicbodiesANDtheprotectionofpersonal

informationwillhopefullyprovidefurtherinsighttomembersoftheMcGillcommunity.

Thecompaniesidentified20aremembersofQuebecprofessionalassociationsthatare

lobbyingfor the plan,including the AEMQ, theACRGTQ, the Associationdes Ingenieurs-conseilsduQuebec,theAQME,andtheAQPER.

StolenNativeLand

evelopment without consent happens across the world. In

Canadaalone,nativecommunitiesthecountryoverareresisting

19Dangl,Benjamin.ConnectingtheStruggles:RegionalActivistsGreetNewEnglandGovernorsConferencewith

Protests(TowardFreedom,30July2012).20SeeAppendix4forthecompletelistofcompanies.

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projectsoftremendousscaleanddestructivepotential.

British Columbia faces its own challenges, as Enbridge builds a pipeline from

AlbertasTarSandstothecoast.GrandChiefPhillip,PresidentoftheUnionofB.C.IndianChiefs,urgedfederalandprovincialministerstorejecttheproject,saying,21

Ourpeopleareprepared to go to thewall against this. There is no doubtaboutthat.Thereisabsolutelynowaywewilltolerateaprojectthatwouldviolate the environmental integrity of our traditional territories along thepipelinerouteandalongtheB.C.coast.

Theenvironmentalintegrityofthelandofnativecommunitiesisarightguaranteed

bytheDeclarationand therefore bytheCharter,but Chief Jackie Thomas,of the Saikuz

FirstNation,decriedthefederalbullytacticsbeingusedtopushthroughthepipeline.22

Developmentthatoccurswithouttheconsentofthecommunitiesinvolvedistheft.

Itisthecontinuationofahistoryofcolonialism.Therighttoself-determinationoverthe

useoftraditionallandisprotectedinCanadaandacrosstheworld,andviolationsofthose

basiccollectiverightscannotbeendorsed.

FinancialInstitutions

uebecs Plan Nord would marshal tens of billions in public and private capital

investments,theTarSandsaretheworldslargestcapitalproject,anddevelopmenton

nativelandtheworldoverisoftencapitalintensive.Thoseinvestmentscomedirectlyfrom

financial institutions,endowments,andpensionfunds.These financialinstitutionsenable

everyday exploitation of native communities, facilitating the extraction of resources,

pollution of the air and water, and destruction of cultural and spiritual spaces. The

21Mickleburgh,Rod.B.C.NativesWillingtoGototheWallAgainstEnbridgePipeline(Vancouver:TheGlobeandMail,30July2012).22McCarthy,Shawn.DecryingFederalBullyTactics,B.C.NativesVowtoBlockPipeline(Ottawa:TheGlobeand

Mail,13Mar2012).

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I call on McGill University, as a

responsible and leading organization

ineducation, todivest itsholdings in

fossil fuels companiesand companies

thatlobbyforthePlanNord.

-McGillStudent

participation of financial institutions in the localized destruction caused by these

companiesiswillfulandirresponsible,andtheyareequallyculpableforthedamagecaused

bythesepractices.

OurResponsibility

cGill University invests in companies that violate

international treaties and the basic rights of

indigenous peoples across the world. We, the students,

alumni,faculty,andstaffofMcGillUniversity,demand:

That the Investment Committee immediatelybegin todispose, inanorderly andresponsible fashion,of the University's holdings incorporations that profit from,

lobby for, or are members of professional organizations or interest groups that

lobbyforQuebec'sPlanNordproject,asdeterminedbytheCommitteetoAdviseon

MattersofSocialResponsibility.

ThattheInvestmentCommitteedispose,inanorderlyandresponsiblefashioninnolongerthanthreeyears,oftheUniversity'sholdingsincorporationsthatdobusiness

onnativelandagainstthewishesofthenativepeoplesofthatlandasdeterminedby

theCommitteetoAdviseonMattersofSocialResponsibility. ThattheInvestmentCommitteedispose,inanorderlyandresponsiblefashioninno

longerthanthreeyears,oftheUniversity'sholdingsinfinancialinstitutionswhich

havenotadopted,asdeterminedbytheCommitteetoAdviseonMattersofSocial

Responsibility,apolicyofmakingnofurtherloanstocorporationsthatdobusiness

onnativelandagainstthewishesofthenativepeoplesofthatland.

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APPENDIX1:RELEVANTARTICLESOFTHEUNITEDNATIONSDECLARATIONONTHERIGHTS

OFINDIGENOUSPEOPLES23

Article8

2.Statesshallprovideforeffectivemechanismsforpreventionof,andredressfor:

(b)Any action which has the aimor effect of dispossessing them of theirlands,territories,orresources.

Article11

1. Indigenous peoples have the right to practise and revitalize their culturaltraditionsandcustoms.Thisincludestherighttomaintain,protectanddevelopthepast,presentandfuturemanifestationsoftheircultures,suchasarchaeologicalandhistorical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual andperformingartsandliterature.

Article18

Indigenous peoples have the right to participate in decision-making in matterswhichwould affect their rights, through representatives chosen by themselves in

accordancewiththeirownprocedures,aswellastomaintainanddeveloptheirownindigenousdecisionmakinginstitutions.

Article20

1. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political,economicandsocialsystemsorinstitutions,tobesecureintheenjoymentoftheirown means of subsistence and development, and to engage freely in all theirtraditionalandothereconomicactivities.

Article25

23UnitedNations.UnitedNationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples(NewYork:107

thplenary

meeting,13Sept2007).


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Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctivespiritualrelationshipwiththeirtraditionallyownedorotherwiseoccupiedandusedlands,territories,watersandcoastalseasandotherresourcesandtoupholdtheirresponsibilitiestofuturegenerationsinthisregard.

Article26

1.Indigenouspeopleshavetherighttothelands,territoriesandresourceswhichtheyhavetraditionallyowned,occupiedorotherwiseusedoracquired.

2. Indigenous peoples have the right to own, use, develop and control the lands,territories andresourcesthattheypossessbyreasonof traditionalownership orother traditional occupation or use, aswell as thosewhich they have otherwiseacquired.

3.States shall givelegal recognition andprotection totheselands, territoriesandresources. Such recognition shall be conducted with due respect to the customs,traditionsandlandtenuresystemsoftheindigenouspeoplesconcerned.

Article29

1. Indigenous peoples have the right to the conservation and protection of theenvironmentandtheproductivecapacityoftheirlandsorterritoriesandresources.Statesshallestablishandimplementassistanceprogrammesforindigenouspeoplesforsuchconservationandprotection,withoutdiscrimination.


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APPENDIX 2: RELEVANT ARTICLES OF THE CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND

FREEDOMS24

Recognitionofexistingaboriginalandtreatyrights

35.(1)The existingaboriginaland treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples ofCanada areherebyrecognizedandaffirmed.

DefinitionofaboriginalpeoplesofCanada

(2)InthisAct,aboriginalpeoplesofCanadaincludestheIndian,InuitandMtispeoplesof

Canada.

(3)Forgreatercertainty,insubsection(1)treatyrightsincludesrightsthatnowexistbywayoflandclaimsagreementsormaybesoacquired.

(4)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the aboriginal and treaty rightsreferredtoinsubsection(1)areguaranteedequallytomaleandfemalepersons.

Commitmenttoparticipationinconstitutionalconference

35.1The government of Canada and the provincial governments are committed to the

principlethat,beforeanyamendmentismadetoClass24ofsection91ofthe ConstitutionAct,1867,tosection25ofthisActortothisPart,

(a)a constitutionalconference that includes in its agenda an item relating to theproposed amendment, composed of the Prime Minister of Canada and the firstministersoftheprovinces,willbeconvenedbythePrimeMinisterofCanada;and

(b)the Prime Minister of Canada will invite representatives of the aboriginalpeoplesofCanadatoparticipateinthediscussionsonthatitem.

24GovernmentofCanada.CanadianCharterofRightsandFreedoms:PartIIRightsoftheAboriginalPeoplesof

Canada(GovernmentofCanada:1982).


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APPENDIX3:LOCATIONOFNATIVECOMMUNITIESINNORTHERNQUEBEC


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APPENDIX3:COMPANIESINVOLVEDINTHEPLANNORD

The following companies are members of professional organizations actively

lobbyingforthePlanNord.

AngloAmerican Arcelor-Mittal AtlasCOPCO AVIVA CAMECO GE* GoldcorpInc Holcim Iamgold Sandvik SGS SNC-Lavalin SuncorEnergy Xstrata ZurichFinancialServices*

*ItsCanadiansubsidiaryisinvolvedinthePlanNord.

Documents

The Social Injury From the Plan Nord and Non-consensual Resource Extraction