This conference reflects the collective effort of several organizations and grass roots groups in Toronto, in collaboration with peoples, communities and organizations facing and resisting the entrance of corporate mining mega-projects into their territories.
Speakers include Winona LaDuke, Clayton Thomas-Mueller, Jethro Tulin, Alain Denault, and Susana Deranger. Stay tuned to solidarityresponse.net for updates and schedule.
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Friday May 6th: Conference ‘soft-launch’ – meet and greet with affected community members and activists at Beit Zatoun (612 Markham Street)
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Saturday May 7th: keynote speaker Winona LaDuke and concurrent sessions as well as workshops and caucuses! (Sidney Smith Hall)
Official conference launch: dance party (193 Dowling Street @ Queen Street West)
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Sunday May 8th: keynote speaker and concurrent sessions as well as workshops and caucuses (cont.!) (Sidney Smith Hall)
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Particular themes that will be discussed this year include:
• Gendered violence, inequity and feminist perspectives
• Militarization and forced displacement
• Indigenous knowledge and spirituality as forms of resistance
• Labour rights and the rhetoric of development
• Criminalization of dissent and protest
• Environmental contamination effects and health
• Food security and water rights
• The cycle of supply and demand of uranium in the North
• Tar sands and the petroleum industry in the North and South
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Stay tuned for a list of speakers!
Endorsed by:AccentsBookstore, Barrio Nuevo, Bayan Canada, Canadians Against Mining in El Salvador, Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean, Common Frontiers, CUPE 4400, CUPE 3903, Environmental Justice Toronto, First Continental Encounter of the Peoples of the Abya Yala-Ecuador, First Nations Solidarity Working Group, Guatemala Community Network – Toronto Kitchener-Waterloo Mayan Project – Tzijolaj-Ottawa, Health for All, Indigenous Environmental Network, Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network, Latin American Trade Union Coalition, Migrante, MiningWatch Canada, Munk OUT of UofT, NooneisIllegal, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Opirg Toronto, Osgoode Environmental Law Society, Philippines Solidarity Network of Canada, ProtestBarrick, Rights Action, Science for Peace, Students for a Free Tibet, Toronto Bolivia Solidarity, Todos por Guatemala, Greater Toronto Workers Assembly.
Winona LaDuke has confirmed as our keynote speaker!! For a full list of speakers and for more information check out our website:
solidarityresponse.net
Also, here is an updated list of endorsers (sorry for those not listed above):
AccentsBookstore, Barrio Nuevo, Bayan Canada, Canadians Against Mining in El Salvador, Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean, Common Frontiers, CUPE 4400, CUPE 3903, Environmental Justice Toronto, First Continental Encounter of the Peoples of the Abya Yala-Ecuador, First Nations Solidarity Working Group, Guatemala Community Network – Toronto Kitchener-Waterloo Mayan Project – Tzijolaj-Ottawa, Health for All, Indigenous Environmental Network, Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network, Latin American Trade Union Coalition, Migrante, MiningWatch Canada, Munk OUT of UofT, NooneisIllegal, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Opirg Toronto, Osgoode Environmental Law Society, Philippines Solidarity Network of Canada, ProtestBarrick, Rights Action, Science for Peace, Students for a Free Tibet, Toronto Bolivia Solidarity, Todos por Guatemala, Workers Assembly.
The quarry proposed by The Highland Companies/3191574 Nova Scotia Company:
- will be the largest quarry in Canada and second largest in North America
- will be located in Melancthon Township, Dufferin County, just north of Shelburne on county road 124, 90 minutes north of Toronto.
- covers 2,316 acres consisting of 4 extraction areas and 1 central processing area
- will be 237 feet deep, below the water table and will require the pumping of 600 million litres of water per day.
- is recognized to be in a headwaters area for five major rivers (Grand, Beaver, Pine, Nottawasaga, Saugeen)
- is currently potato farm land -- the company owns 8,000 acres
- is adjacent to the Niagara Escarpment.
Further information can be found at:
A comment letter in regard to fish and bird habitat from David Suzuki Foundation:
The Highland Companies www.highlandcompanies.ca
North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce www.ndact.com
The site for the Toronto local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.