Amnesty International is joining the Tsilhqot’in people and their many other allies and supporters in celebrating the Government of Canada’s decision to reject a proposed gold-copper mine on their traditional territory.
In November, a federally-appointed environmental assessment panel concluded that the proposed New Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine would have “severe” and “irreversible” impacts on the culture and traditional practices of the Tsilhqot’in people. The panel also found a wide range of serious environmental impacts on the lakes, rivers and wetlands.
In a decision released on February 26, federal Environment Minister said that the significant environmental impacts of the proposed mine could not be justified.
This is the second time that the federal government has rejected plans by Taseko Mines to open a mine near Teztan Biny or Fish Lake in Tsilhqot’in Territory.
Amnesty International intervened in the latest review to argue that any assessment of a project’s potential impacts on Indigenous peoples must be consistent with the high standard of protection for Indigenous rights under the Canadian Constitutional and international human rights law.
The panel report cites international human rights standards as one of the factors shaping its determination of the seriousness of the proposals protential impacts on the Tsilhqot’in people.