Mount Polley mine faces major setback as First Nation fights to prevent another environmental crisis
The BC Supreme Court has ordered Mount Polley Mining Corporation to halt its tailings dam expansion until at least July 1, 2025.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
The British Columbia Supreme Court has ordered Mount Polley Mining Corporation to stop its plan to raise the height of its tailings dam . The court said the expansion cannot go ahead until at least July 1, 2025.This decision follows a legal challenge by the Xatśūll First Nation . The First Nation says the province approved the dam expansion without proper consultation or a full environmental review. They argue the decision goes against British Columbia's own rules on Indigenous rights.The province had allowed the company to raise the dam by four metres. It said the increase was needed to manage heavy spring runoff and had gone through technical checks and some consultations.But the Xatśūll First Nation disagreed. They said the process was rushed and ignored serious environmental concerns.Their fear is not unfounded. In 2014, the tailings dam at the same Mount Polley mine collapsed. That disaster released about 25 million cubic metres of mine waste into nearby lakes and rivers. It became one of the worst environmental events in B.C.'s history.The company that owns the mine, Imperial Metals, says it still has enough space in the tailings facility for now. It says it doesn't need the extra capacity from the expansion until July 2025. The company has also agreed to wait and not move forward with raising the dam until that time.A hearing on the issue is set to resume on June 24, 2025. The Xatśūll First Nation plans to ask the court to keep the block on the expansion in place until the full legal review is over.This case highlights growing tension in B.C. between mining projects and Indigenous land rights. It also raises bigger questions about how governments consult First Nations on decisions that impact their land and environment.For now, the court has sent a clear message: more caution and deeper consultation are needed when it comes to projects that carry environmental and cultural risks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
4 days ago
- First Post
After 20 yrs of socialism, 2 right-wing candidates lead Bolivia presidential run-off
The election was dominated by the South American nation's worst economic crisis in a generation, which saw voters desert the ruling socialists in droves Supporters of Rodrigo Paz, Bolivia's presidential candidate for the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), celebrate waiting for the results of the presidential election in La Paz, Bolivia on August 17, 2025. AFP Two right-wing candidates were expected to advance to a run-off for Bolivia's presidency after topping the first round of elections on Sunday, ending two decades of leftist rule, according to early projections. Center-right Senator Rodrigo Paz was the surprise frontrunner, with over 31 percent of the vote, according to separate projections by Ipsos and Captura pollsters based on partial results . He was followed by former right-wing president Jorge 'Tuto' Quiroga in second with around 27 percent, the projections showed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Millionaire businessman Samuel Doria Medina, who had been tipped to finish first, trailed in third with 19.5-20.2 percent, far ahead of the main leftist candidate, Senate president Andronico Rodriguez. More from World Polls to payments: What India taught the world about serving people on scale The election was dominated by the South American nation's worst economic crisis in a generation, which saw voters desert the ruling socialists in droves. Annual inflation hit almost 25 percent in July as the country runs critically short of fuel and dollars, the currency in which most Bolivians keep their savings. The vote brings the curtain down on 20 years of socialist rule, which began in 2005 when Evo Morales, an Indigenous coca farmer, was elected president on a radical anti-capitalist platform. 'The left has done us a lot of harm. I want change for the country,' Miriam Escobar, a 60-year-old pensioner, told AFP after voting in La Paz. 'Day that will mark history' The main right-wing candidates have vowed to shake up Bolivia's big-state economic model and international alliances. 'This is a day that will mark the history of Bolivia,' Quiroga said after voting in La Paz. He has vowed to slash public spending, open the country to foreign investment and boost ties with the United States, which were downgraded under the combative Morales, who resigned in 2019 following mass protests over alleged election rigging. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Agustin Quispe, a 51-year-old miner, branded Quiroga a 'dinosaur' and said he backed Paz, who campaigned on a populist programme of fighting corruption, cutting taxes and delvering 'capitalism for all.' Shock therapy Many Bolivians have cited the kind of shock therapy administered by President Javier Milei to turn around his country's inflation-wracked economy as a model for their homeland. 'What people are looking for now, beyond a shift from left to right, is a return to stability,' Daniela Osorio Michel, a Bolivian political scientist at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies, told AFP. Quiroga, who is on his fourth run for president, touted his experience in government and multilateral organizations as qualifying him for the task of saving Bolivia from bankruptcy. He served as vice-president under ex-dictator Hugo Banzer and then briefly as president when Banzer stepped down to fight cancer in 2001. Morales looms large Morales, who was barred from standing for a fourth term, has cast a long shadow over the campaign. The 65-year-old called on his rural Indigenous supporters to spoil their ballots over his exclusion and threatened mass protests if the right returns to power. Bolivia enjoyed more than a decade of strong growth and Indigenous upliftment under Morales, who nationalized the gas sector and ploughed the proceeds into social programs that halved extreme poverty. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But underinvestment in exploration has caused gas revenues to implode, falling from a peak of $6.1 billion in 2013 to $1.6 billion last year. With the country's other major resource, lithium, still underground, the government has nearly run out of the foreign exchange needed to import fuel, wheat and other key commodities.
Time of India
12-08-2025
- Time of India
Adidas sandal Oaxaca Slip On controversy: Why has designer said sorry in public?
Mexican-American clothing designer Willy Chavarria has apologised for an Adidas sandal he created after being accused by Mexican authorities of 'cultural appropriation' for imitating an Indigenous shoe design. The design launched by Adidas, known as the Oaxaca Slip On, is a black sandal with braided leather straps attached to a chunky sports shoe sole. Mexican artisans and authorities say the intricate leather braids look strikingly similar to the traditional footwear known as huaraches made by the Zapotec Indigenous people in Oaxaca, produced mostly in the town of Villa Hidalgo Yalalag. They have accused the brand and Chavarria of 'cultural appropriation' and of copying the design without the permission of the Indigenous community. Authorities were quick to note that cultural Mexican designs have long been copied by major brands before, and said they planned to tighten laws to protect Mexican designs. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Chavarria responded to mounting criticisms in comments sent to The Associated Press on Tuesday. In a statement addressed to the 'people of Oaxaca,' he said that the design was intended to 'to honour the powerful cultural and artistic spirit of Oaxaca and its creative communities — a place whose beauty and resistance have inspired me.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo 'I am deeply sorry that the shoe was appropriated in this design and not developed in direct and meaningful partnership with the Oaxacan community,' Chavarria wrote. 'This falls short of the respect and collaborative approach that Oaxaca, the Zapotec community of Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, and its people deserve.' Chavarria is a Mexican-American designer, who has risen to fame for his designs exploring Chicano, or Mexican-American, culture, often mixing Mexican themes with American products. His designs include sweaters reading 'Chicano' in red, scripted font, and styles with the Mexican flag and cowboy hats reminiscent of northern Mexican culture. Live Events In recent months, Chavarria also was put in the spotlight for a show at Paris Fashion Week that was intended as criticism of the Trump administration's deportation policy. Chavarria's comments came days after Adidas made a public apology for the design, and in a statement said it was reaffirming 'our commitment to collaborate with Yalalag in a respectful dialogue that honors their cultural legacy.' Last week, in a letter to Oaxacan state officials, the company requested to sit down with local officials and to discuss how it can 'repair the damage' to Indigenous populations. 'Adidas recognises and values the cultural richness of Mexico's Indigenous communities and the meaning of their artisanal heritage,' it wrote in a statement. FAQs Q1. What is name of controversial Adidas sandal? A1. The name of controversial Adidas sandal is Oaxaca Slip On. Q2. Who is Willy Chavarria? A2. Willy Chavarria is Mexican-American clothing designer.
Mint
12-08-2025
- Mint
Cenovus Said to Be in Talks With Indigenous Groups for MEG Bid
(Bloomberg) -- Cenovus Energy Inc. is in talks with Indigenous groups in Canada to jointly buy MEG Energy Corp., an oil sands producer that faces an unsolicited $4 billion takeover bid from a Canadian oil tycoon. A group of First Nations and Metis communities including Chipewyan Prairie First Nation and Heart Lake First Nation are in talks with Cenovus about taking a C$2 billion ($1.45 billion) stake in MEG, according to people familiar with the discussions. The Indigenous stake would be backed by financial support from the federal and provincial governments, while Cenovus would bid for the rest, the people said. A joint offer for MEG could be made as early as September, though talks may fall apart. Emails and calls to Cenovus weren't returned, nor were calls to First Nations groups involved. MEG didn't immediately respond. Natural Resources Canada declined to comment in an email. The Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corp., which helps finance investments, didn't respond to an email seeking comment. The deal, if successful, would mark the first large, direct Indigenous stake purchase in an oil sands producer. It would also unite two Calgary-based companies with significant operations in the oil-rich region of northeastern Alberta. MEG's Christina Lake project includes 200 square kilometres (77 square miles) of leases in the area, and the company has regulatory approvals to produce around 210,000 barrels a day. MEG was put into play in May when Strathcona Resources Ltd. made an unsolicited cash-and-stock bid that valued MEG at about C$6 billion. Strathcona, controlled by former investment banker Adam Waterous, made the bid after taking a 9.2% stake in the company. MEG's board advised shareholders to reject Strathcona's bid, calling it inadequate. The board also started a strategic review that may include finding other offers. MEG traded at C$25.85 a share at 11:45 a.m. in Toronto on Tuesday. That's above the C$23.27 offer from Strathcona, signalling investors are expecting a higher bid. Alberta's First Nations have increasingly sought ownership of large energy-related infrastructure projects such as pipelines and tank storage farms to earn revenue. Canadian energy companies have been partnering more frequently with the communities whose land is affected by their projects in a bid to head off potential environmental and legal opposition. Cenovus, the third-largest Canadian crude producer by market value, has operations in the Christina Lake region near the MEG site. The company produced the equivalent of about 800,000 barrels a day last year — mostly bitumen, along with natural gas liquids and some conventional oil and natural gas. The Financial Post reported last month that Cenovus is preparing a bid. More stories like this are available on
