U N I T E D F O R
M I N I N G J U S T I C E
We of this generation are the stewards of the land in which we live.
The next generation will call upon us to give an account of our stewardship.
- Anonymous
Photo: James Rodriguez/ mimundo.org
Invest In Life - Divest from Goldcorp!
About Mining the Connections
Mining the Connections is a working group of the Church in Action Committee of Maritime Conference. It first presented a motion to the General Council in 2009, asking for the Pension Board to divest from Goldcorp Inc. at the request of partners and churches in Guatemala and El Salvador asking them to do so given the serious human rights violations they were facing. Motions were also presented in 2012 and 2015. The Pension Board recently responded that they will not divest from Goldcorp despite a General Council assembly where 78% of the Church voted to divest.
* Read the position of the Pension Board here (pages 95-97).
* Read the response from Mining the Connections here.
“ I feel confused and betrayed. My teachings are that an apology is not sincere when the one who apologizes continues to do the same thing that was harmful...How is it possible to, on the one hand, to work hard to reconcile with the past of violations against the native people here; and then on the other, consciously and willingly profit from the violations currently being perpetrated on the native people in Guatemala? While in Guatemala, I saw very clearly that the Mayans are indeed our brothers and sisters, with their connection to Mother Earth and their life-giving ceremonies,”
Cathy Gerrior, wape'k mikjikj e'pit - white turtle woman
Letter to the People of the United Church, October 2012
Since 2009, the United Church of Canada Pension Board has refused to divest from Goldcorp Inc, despite calls from affected communities and a General Council vote in favour of divestment.
United for Mining Justice supports the Maritime Conference to ask the General Council Executive to request that the UCC Pension Board reconsider its decision at its upcoming meeting in November. Read our letter to the General Council Executive here.
On February 22 we held a webinar with over 30 participants from across Canada.
"The connection between imperialism, mining gold and the church is what led to the colonization and genocide of millions of indigenous peoples in the Americas in the first place. Reconciliation starts by acknowledging an injustice, and addressing it with solutions that are collaborative and socially responsible.
Divesting will set a precedent on reconciliation, and answer the Truth and Reconciliation Commission call to uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. There are investments other than gold that will ensure your responsibilities to the pension fund, and impacted communities, are met."
Jacinda Mack, Coordinator
First Nations Women Advocating Responsible Mining. Read full letter to United Church Pension Board here.