O'Canada our home and native land...

…. what about the homes and lands of others?

International Support Worker Students from Loyalist College met with employee of advocacy organization Otros Mundos – Other Worlds - where they had the privilege of discussing some extremely important, and controversial, issues.

Otros Mundos has identified numerous of the economic problems within Mexico as part of the global economic crisis, as many underlying issues are present around the world and are caused by the Capital Crisis. This crisis is universal and it seems everyday people are becoming more and more unhappy in both developed and under-developed countries.

The struggle continues for employment, nutritious food, shelter, labour rights, education, healthy care, security and gender equality. Many communities are experiencing inter-family conflicts and one can only speculate if these problems are a result of poverty or political violence.
Otros Mundos is an advocacy organization that works to discover and implement alternatives that can better the life-situations of the Mexican population. The organization works to find sustainability in our environment and within the people as they understand that food and water are not enough as long as the extreme levels of inequality continue.

As one crisis has many elements, Otros Mundos have categorized the global economic crisis as follows:

-Financial crisis
-Social crisis
-Food crisis
-Energy crisis
-Political crisis
-Environmental crisis
-Security crisis


Many ISW students were curious to learn more about the role Canada plays in this global economic crisis, more specifically the involvement with food and security.

Students were shocked to learn of the incredibly harmful and life-threatening impacts left behind from Canadian mining companies. There are currently more than 25,000 mining companies within Mexico, 70-75% of which are Canadian based and are known around the world for being the worst violators of human rights.

“When I heard this, I was disgusted. I thought, how could I want to serve for a country, and protect people that care for no one but themselves and their money,” says Caila Widdifield, current ISW student and Cadet Instructor Cadre. “It’s revolting. We’ve always been taught ‘do to others as you would have them do to you’, how would they feel if they were the one being exploited and having their rights violated, with no one to protect them. It isn’t right.”

It is not only the initial damage of the mining but the continuous impacts of devastation towards natural resources. First communities are forced to move as companies now own the land they live on, they extract what they want and in the process contaminate the land and water resources, where luscious vegetation once grew is no longer possible. Communities are being affected with increasing rates of cancer and other health implications. Homes are being torn apart and indigenous communities who resist to leave their homes are beaten. It is shameful.

For many students this was the first time they would hear in such detail the horror left behind from Canadian companies. Canada is becoming more widely known, especially through Latin America, for their negative impacts on the earth, inhuman treatment of indigenous populations and violent attempts to get what they want.

When ISW students ask what can be done, Otros Mundos reply not to give up.
“It is important to look at your own context and understand what is going on around you and then say what can we do.”

Otros Mundos works in partnership with many international organizations, such as Friends of the Earth International, REMA, and closer to home, the Council of Canadians and Human Rights Watch. Through these organizations, international campaigns are led and Otros Mundos urge all to get involved. They say it is important to acknowledge the harm and violation of human rights being done by Canadian mining companies and to educate others on these issues.

Corporate America always finds ways to avoid responsibilities, it is our job to hold them accountable for the damage they produce. As global citizens we must work together to better the lives of all people, we must no longer work to feed the machine but work to feed the people.

For more information:

Council of Canadians:
http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=2369

Mining Watch Canada (Bill C-300 – Corporate Accountability for the Activities of Mining, Oil or Gas Corporations in Developing Countries):
http://www.miningwatch.ca/en/bill-c-300-corporate-accountability-activities-mining-oil-or-gas-corporations-developing-countries