Path of Destruction: Canadian Mining Companies Around the World

Canada is the world's leading mining nation. Sixty percent of all public mining companies are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. About half of all mining capital is raised in Canada. Many Canadian mining companies have become notorious for damaging communities and the environment and fueling wars and repression all over the world. The Canadian government has refused to hold these corporations accountable leading to international criticism of Canada.

Just as European settlers created Canada by stealing and plundering native land, its mining companies today continue these practices at home and abroad. This colonialism and neocolonialism is what Canada is all about.

EPISODES (30 minutes each):

1. "Damaging Communities and the Environment" focuses on the drastic effect Canadian mining companies have had on indigenous peoples in Canada and Papua New Guinea. With Chief Arthur Pehtategoose, Kathleen Naponse, Jethro Tulli and Mark Ekepa.

2. "Fueling Wars and Repression" describes how Canadian mining companies have been stoking conflict in the Congo, Guatemala, Canada and on an international scale. With Prince Kumwumba, Fausto Valiente, Edgar Godoy, Jim Harding, Chief Paula Sherman and Bob Lovelace.

3. "Who Benefits?" details the enormous benefits that Canadian mining companies get from their operations and from government support. With Joan Kuyek, Jamie Kneen, Karyn Keenan, William Sacher and Edgar Godoy.

REVIEWS
1. "This audio documentary successfully manages to bridge many little-heard perspectives on the Canadian mining industry. First, we hear from indigenous peoples in Canada and beyond as to how mining companies threaten their very existence as peoples; in other words, how the industry is complicit in an ongoing global genocide. We hear from working people around the world on how the industry has devastated their health, livelihoods and environment. Finally, we look at how Canadian mining is intricately connected to, complicit in and profiting off of wars being waged around the world. Ismi and Schwartz provide us with a horrific but solid introduction on how Canadian and international laws, trade agreements and the power of wealth protect mining corporations from answering to any justice system for their crimes. At the same time, the program provides us with hope as it questions the very need for mining and takes an introductory look at alternatives to this devastating resource extraction industry. 'Path of Destruction' is an outstanding educational tool addressing the issues of colonialism, resource extraction economies, corporate power, free trade agreements, the military industrial complex and many other issues."

* Zainab Amadahy is an indigenous writer, community worker and activist based in Toronto. She is a founding member of the Coalition in Support of Indigenous Sovereignty, member of the Board of the Association of
Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts, and the Executive Director of Community Arts Ontario.

2. "Canadian imperialism's best-kept secret is undoubtedly the inconvenient truth about Canadian mining capital's genocidal path of destruction. Ismi and Schwartz's audio documentary illustrates how at home and abroad Canadian mining companies are poisoning the environment, propping up brutal dictatorships, and violently repressing any dissent to their exploits. 'Path of Destruction' is a bold exposé of Canadian imperialism, thoroughly dispelling any illusions that Canadians may have about the Canadian state as a positive force in the world."

* Steve da Silva, Co-producer of 'Radio BASICS' on CHRY Radio 105.5 FM--York University, Toronto; Editor, BASICS Community Newsletter.

3. "'Path of Destruction' is the best radio documentary I’ve come across in a long time. It combines an
oft-neglected analysis of colonialism in Canada with a radical critique of the mining industry and the other institutions and processes that support it. A very important series which has a powerful impact."

* Matt Soltys, Producer of 'Healing the Earth Radio' on CFRU Radio 93.3 FM--University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, www.resistanceisfertile.ca.

4. "Ismi and Schwartz have the fearlessness and integrity to report the truth and hold Canadian mining companies accountable. Canadians need to know what's happening in Africa, for example in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the slaughter of 4 to 5 million people has occurred for the sake of Canadian (and foreign) profits. We can no longer claim ignorance after listening to this documentary. Essential for all Canadians."

* David Parker, Spoken Word Coordinator, CKDU Radio 88.1 FM--Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

5. "I have just heard your excellent radio programme 'Path of Destruction'. Great job and thank you for it. I think it is a daring programme to take on the Industry with facts of history and it is damaging to them and their high moral claims."

* Xavier Dias, Spokesperson for Jharkhand Mines Area Coordination Committee [JMACC], [An indigenous organization resisting mining and displacement in Jharkand State, India]; Editor of the Hindi monthly 'Khan Kanij aur ADHIKAR' [Mines,Minerals & Rights], India's only community newspaper focused on the effects of mining, www.adhikar.in/

6. "Thank you for 'Path of Destruction'. The concept of a radio project for a wider information and education campaign is brilliant. This is very helpful information to us in the Cordillera, Philippines, where Canadian mining companies are beefing up their applications (Olympus,Terra Nova,Ivanhoe,Golden Valley)."

* Abigail T. Bengwayan, Public Information Commission, Cordillera Peoples Alliance, The Philippines, www.cpaphils.org/

7. "The new audio documentary, ‘Path of Destruction’ is an important contribution to the growing chorus of resistance to Canadian mining. Through careful analysis of Canadian corporate and government polices, the documentary's producers expose how mining has devastated communities around the globe and who has benefited from that devastation. Mining policies are carefully situated within the broader context of Canadian colonialism. Most compellingly, the documentary features the voices of those directly affected by those policies. Their urgent stories are a call to action for change that will restore and protect the health of their communities and the rights of its peoples. This documentary can and should be used as a tool to create that change."

* Alison Brown, Producer of 'Redeye' on Vancouver Cooperative Radio, CFRO 102.7 FM, Vancouver BC.

"Path of Destruction" was funded by:
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (National), CUPW Local 576 North Bay, Canadian Union of Public Employees--Local 3903, CUPE National, CUPE Local 1281, Public Service Alliance of Canada, Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, Ken Luckhardt, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Canadian Federation of Students, Ontario Public Interest Research Group-Toronto, Continuing Education Students Association of Ryerson, Fair Trade Clothing Co-op.

Creator: Asad Ismi

Creator Contact:

Go to www.asadismi.ws for Asad's publications . Email him at aismi@can.rogers. com or Kristin at kschwartz.toronto@gmail.com to respond.

Producer's Name: Kristin Schwartz

Year of Production: 2008

Distributor Information:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/30233

http://www.ncra.ca/exchange/dspProgramDetail.cfm?programID=78031

Eleven community radio stations from coast to coast in Canada and in the U.S. have aired (h/a) or committed to air (c/a) the documentary so far. The stations are:

Secwepemc Radio 91.1 FM--Neskonlith Reservation, BC (h/a)
KRFP 92.5 fm--Radio Free Moscow, Moscow, Idaho, U.S. (h/a)
CKDU 97.5 fm--Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS (h/a)
CKUT 90.3 fm--McGill University, Montreal, QC (h/a)
CHRY 105.5 fm--York University, Toronto, ON (h/a)
CFRU 93.3 fm--University of Guelph, Guelph, ON (h/a)
CFRC 101.9 fm--Queen's University, Kingston, ON (c/a)
CILU 102.7 fm--Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON (h/a)
CJAM 91.5 fm--University of Windsor, Windsor, ON (h/a)
CKUW 95.9 fm--University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB (c/a)
CJSF 90.1 fm--Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC (c/a)

Country: Canada

Region: Ontario