UPDATE WITH MINISTRY, NEWMONT COMMENT
The Ministry of Mines confirms it was served with the statement of claim on Thursday… and says it would be inappropriate to comment while it’s before the courts.
Newmont, meanwhile, says over the past year, it “has engaged in good faith to reach a meaningful and fair agreement” with Taykwa Tagamou. It also points out it has invested $160-million on a water treatment plant at Pamour. It says that plant “will return upwards of 13-million cubic meters of treated water” into three watersheds.
The Taykwa Tagamou First Nation has filed a court claim against the provincial government and Newmont Mining, over mining activities on the Pamour property, east of Porcupine.
Chief Bruce Archibald says this comes as his community asks Newmont for proper consultation before any operations in any part of its territory.
“Negotiations have come to a halt because the understanding between the First Nation and Newmont is not at the same level on what we expect to be compensated for all the damages that have been done in our territory over the past 110 years,” the chief states.
The chief says mining means his people can’t consume as much of the water, fish and animals they used to, and practice traditional activities they have engaged in since time immemorial.
Archibald says his community is looking for compensation and for correction of the wrongs committed while mining was established on its territory. He says the Pamour property was set up without proper engagement with Taykwa Tagamou.
“We’re looking for meaningful compensation for all the impacts that our people have faced over the last 110 years. And it’s not just 110 years of the past, it’s the next seven generations that are going to be affected by the operation that they own within the 101 corridor.”
