EVENTS &
NOTIFICATIONS

Atlantic Gold Mining NS Corp(the proponent) has informed the Impact Assessment Agency that the Revised Environmental Impact Statement may be submitted next week. Upon receipt of the Revised EIS the Agency will conduct a 30 day conformity review after which a public comment period will begin. For further information on this project, please access the project's page on the Agency's website (Fifteen Mile Stream Gold Project - Canada.ca (iaac-aeic.gc.ca). This website will post the EIS when released for public comment. 

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Dr. Michael Parsons -Research Scientist, Geological Survey of Canada 7:30-8:30pm 

This talk will explore the wide range of chemical elements that underpin our modern standard of living and examine Canada’s current and future role as an environmentally responsible supplier of  minerals and metals. The lecture will also discuss the environmental legacy of historical gold mining in Nova Scotia and how research results are being used to help clean up abandoned mines and reduce the impact of future development. REGISTER TO LISTEN

Nova Scotia Salmon Association announces SMRA as their 2020 Affiliate of the Year, firstly for the huge and effective campaign the organization has mounted against gold mining in its river. For the full announcement, see April 6 feed on Facebook. Click here.

There has been considerable discussion on the impact of gold metal prices on the likelihood that the Cochrane Hill gold mine would proceed.  S & P Global Market Intelligence discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the metals market. Watch webinar presentation.  Click here

St. Mary’s River Association launches campaign webpage as Atlantic Gold pushes, NOPE campaign opens channel for citizen engagement. Click here. 

The environmental justice atlas documents and catalogues social conflict around environmental issues. Click here. Cochrane Hill gold mining project to be added. 

Despite recent assurances that it “works with communities” where it operates, Atlantic Gold seriously considered imposing “legal remedies” on St. Mary’s Municipal Council only last year, a letter released through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP) shows. Read more here. 

Maryse Belanger's, president Americas, St Barbara Ltd (Atlantic Gold) opinion piece in the March 4, 2020 edition of the Chronicle Herald accuses NS government of moving the goal posts in midst of their environmental assessment.

At a press conference in Halifax, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the NS Salmon Association and the St. Mary's River Association released recently captured underwater video showing a pair of wild Atlantic salmon preparing to spawn in McKeen Brook, an important tributary of the St. Mary’s River that would be directly affected by the proposed Cochrane Hill gold mine.

Fantastic news for our fight against the proposed gold mine on Cochrane Hill.  The piece of property that NS Department of Environment has designated as protected cuts off the proposed water supply for the current proposed gold mine.  Jump over to our Take Action page to learn how you can provide input to NSE on the proposed Archibald Lake protected wildlife area. 

The environmental impact assessment process can be daunting, East Coast Environmental Law hosted a 1 day Public Legal Education session in November on Environmental Impact Assessments and Gold Mining in Nova Scotia (audio podcast link to the presentations) and links to slide presentations are here.

The Fight To Save Wild Salmon – Artifishal – You Tube video, interesting!

 VR Tour of St. Mary’s River – Edwin’s new tool to publish 360 photographs – Google Tours, which Google launched about a year ago. 

Edwin DeMont has been visiting the St. Mary’s River for the past two months, and taking landscape photographs and videos at a variety of locations. Edwin is posting flat (traditional) and 360 photographs on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/HT899Niq93125czn7 and posting 360 videos on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqCdw49Ipey5fdHkbMI-PAw He will be adding new videos every week for the rest of the year.  he is available on Twitter  https://twitter.com/NovaScotiaIn360. 

St. Mary’s River Association held a workshop with the participation of MiningWatch co-founder Joan Kuyek. We strategized around the No Open Pit Excavation (NOPE) campaign against St. Barbara Ltd.’s proposed Cochrane Hill project. Joan Baxter interviewed Joan Kuyek about her new book “Unearthing Justice: How to Protect Your Community from the Mining Industry,” which reflects in part on the colonial roots of the mining industry and ongoing environmental racism in this country. Joan Kuyek’s book was also featured in the Coast, written by Andrew Bethune.

On Friday, we held a rally outside the Alt Hotel to oppose the Nova Scotia Gold Show, a private event for mining executives and investors sponsored by the Province, the Mining Association and the Prospectors Association. We sent our messages loud and clear with our beautiful signs and powerful voices. Way to go everyone! Here is some coverage of the rally itself: CBC (video) and Canadian Press Newswire (featured on CTV Atlantic, Halifax Today, Bloomberg, the Star, Barchart, Yahoo Finance, Canadian Business, City News and other outlets). Mining.com also issued this article today, “Gold rush in Canada’s Nova Scotia unearths opportunities and criticis.”

Though the Mining Association was featured on CBC Information Morning to promote gold mining, Joan Kuyek countered their claims and Harry Kelly & Shauna Higgins shared what it is like to live on Moose River Road on the way to the Touquoy Mine. Ecology Action also expressed its concerns about gold mining. All this activity promoted Minister of Energy & Mines Derek Mombourquette to respond. The Dept. of Energy & Mines also issued this news release today.

On Saturday, we hosted Joan Kuyek’s Halifax book launch and a panel on sustainable alternatives to mining, featuring Joan Kuyek, economists Peter Puxley and Heather Johannesen, and Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia member John Perkins. The article “Gold Mining in NS unearths opposing views” was featured in the Chronicle Herald, the Guardian, the Telegram, the Cape Breton Post and other outlets. Stay tuned for a follow-up report from the panel. Here is a picture of our amazing experts. On Sunday, we held Joan Kuyek’s Tatamagouche book launch where she shared stories from her experience in helping communities fight mining projects. Here is a link to a folder containing photos of the Water Not Gold campaign, courtesy of Michael Maclean.

Finally, last week we issued an investor alert (attached) to 98 journalists via Meltwater.  InvestorAlert_final.docx

Event: August 19, 2019 Town Hall Meeting Sherbrooke: You Tube Video Long Version.

Geotechnical Aspects of Tailings Dams and their Failures – You Tube Video of September 5 , 2019 Presentation: Technical, however certainly emphasizes our concern for tailings dam failures.

September 21, 2019 Tatmagouche Community Water Walk – Come join us as we walk together in ceremony for the protection of our sacred water source, strengthen relationships between Mi’kmaq and settler folks in the resistance of irresponsible resource extraction and raise awareness of the proposed gold mine project in Warwick Mountain!

At 9:00am, we will gather at the Warwick Mountain Snowmobile Club and begin with a welcome, explanation of the Water Walk, protocols and ceremony. We will walk together as one group along the (14k) route, stopping along the way at designated rest stops (3k, 11k) and for lunch at the half way point (8k). At each stop we will have a shuttle to take people back to their vehicles if they do not wish to walk the entire route. Folks are also welcome to join and leave at any point along the way. The walk will end at the Creamery Square with a closing ceremony, followed by a pay-what-you-can chili dinner and music at 5:00pm. Please bring good sneakers, a reusable water bottle and lunch! We also ask that you refrain from bringing pets, with an exception of service dogs. Please reply to this email (flowingtogethernovascotia@gmail.com) to register for the walk and let us know if you will also be joining us for dinner.

Event: September 28, 2019: Saving the St. Mary’s: Salmon, Scenery and Safeguards – This event will be like the Town Hall meeting held in Sherbrooke on August 19th .  Speakers will be myself (SMRA), Kris Hunter (ASF), Fiona Brooks (NSNT) and Ray Plourde or Karen McKendry (EAC). 

Appeal for Volunteers: October 7th, 2019 100 Debates Project – Green PAC – 100 strictly non-partisan all-candidate debates on the environment in ridings across our country. It’s a massive project and we’re working with local organizations and businesses from across Canada to help pull it off.

Rally & Presentation – October 18 & 19th. Water Not Gold – 18th: Rally at the Gold Show , 19: Joan Kuyek – Co-Founder of MiningWatch Canada – Book Launch & Panel on on Sustainable Alternatives to Mining. This one has a few events to take note of and is a counter action to the NS Gold Show.  http://tmans.ca/goldshow Another Protest! The Alt Hotel Halifax Airport is the location of the gold show so it only stands to reason we protest there.  I am asking as many folks from St Mary’s go as possible.  We can even travel together.  If interested send me an e-mail and I will coordinate travel.  Very important we send a message here and now! 

What: Protest , Where: Alt Hotel Halifax Air Port , When: Friday, October 18th 11:30 to 2:30pm. Please park in the airport’s public parking garage, if carpooling. Reimbursement for mileage & parking available: contact WaterNotGold2019@gmail.com Arrive at 11:10 if you can so we can prepare before our official start at 11:30am. Bring your signs, banner, chants, and costumes!

St. Andrews United Church, Halifax Saturday, October 19th 1:00 – 2:30pm Joan Kuyek book tour event, “Unearthing Justice: How to Protect Your Community from the Mining Industry.” & October 19th 2:30 – 4:30pm Panel discussion focused on sustainable alternatives to mining in Nova Scotia, featuring: Joan Kuyek (Mining Watch) , Peter Puxley (Economist),  John Perkins (SuNNS), Centre for Local Prosperity (TBC).