CASE

Imperial Metals Protest

Wiki Contributor History

December 9, 2016	nseef
October 3, 2016	nseef

Case Data

General Issues: Environment

Location

Vancouver

Canada

Scope of Influence: City/Town

Start Date: August 4, 2016

End Date: August 4, 2016

Ongoing: No

Total Number of Participants: 25

Facilitators: No

Face-to-Face, Online, or Both: Face-to-Face

Decision Methods: Not Applicable

This entry was originally added in English. View this entry in its original language.

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Problems and Purpose

On August 4, 2016, protesters entered the head office of mining company Imperial Metals in downtown Vancouver to mark the second anniversary of a spill at the Mount Polley mine in B.C’s Interior. Two years previous, a tailings pond had collapsed, sending millions of cubic metres of waste into nearby waterways. Four protesters were arrested, while an additional 15 to 20 people remained outside to continue the lawful demonstration.

History

Mount Polley is a copper and gold open pit mine located in central British Columbia’s Cariboo region near Williams Lake and the towns of Likely and Horsefly. The mine is operated by Vancouver-based Imperial Metals.

On August 4, 2014, the mine waste (tailings) pond was breached. In the following days of the breach, 4 square kilometres of mining waste containing toxic levels of selenium, arsenic, and other metals spilled into Polley Lake and then into Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake, and the Cariboo River. A state of local emergency was declared by the community of Likely due to drinking water concerns affecting 300 residents. It is alleged that Imperial Metals had been running the mine beyond capacity since 2011, contributing to the disastrous breach of the tailings storage facility.

On June 23, 2016 the Mount Polley mine was authorized by two provincial bodies, the Ministry of Mining and Energy (MEM) and the Ministry of Environment (MOE), to re-open, using the repaired tailings pond storage facility the initially breached. Immediately after the re-opening, public outcry was prominent, with mining sector safety analysts claiming the Mount Polley disaster as one of the worst environmental spill incidents in modern Canadian history. University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre filed complaints about the government’s lack of publication of environmental assessments and dam safety reports. On the indigenous activism front, Kanahus Manuel of the Secwepmc Women’s Warrior Society set up illegal blockades and supported community protests against Imperial Metals. Protests have occurred in Vancouver at Imperials Metals headquarters as well as near the Mount Polley mine itself.

Organizing Entities

The initiative was born out of citizen need. The protest was carried out by the Secwepemc Women's Warrior Society and Ancestral Pride to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the disaster. The demonstration appears to have centred around a Facebook page titled ‘Imperial No More.’

The decision on the methods used were taken by those working inside the two organizations. The idea was to show Imperial Metals their power and voice. Little information on the backdoor decision making is available. Any information by those as part of the process would be appreciated.

Participant Selection

Several blog posts were published, calling for donations (e-transfers) and participation at gatherings planned to underscore the anniversary of the spill.

No information about specific forms of selection.

Methods

Several days before the protest took place, the Secwepemc Women's Warrior Society did an interview with local news sources to signal their protest. While this didn’t overtly tell interested individuals where to meet for the protest, it did allow potential protesters to be alerted to the upcoming event and contact the Secwepemc Women's Warrior Society on their own accord. Facebook event pages for information sessions around the mining disaster were posted at the time of the protest, which likely shared information in-person on the planned protest. Simultaneous protests occurred outside of Williams Lake at the site of the mine itself.

The protest in Vancouver gathered in front of the Imperial Metals office, with four protesters entering the premises and where a confrontation occurred between staff members and protesters. The four protesters were subsequently arrested. The initial methodology of the protest was to conduct a peaceful protest with the goal of speaking to Imperial Metals president Brian Kynoch.

Deliberations, Decision-making, and Public Interaction

Participation was on behalf of those who were connected with the organizations and/or followed the Facebook page. Engagement in the protest was face-to-face with preparations made for entering the Imperial offices made beforehand.

The entire protest was formed around the idea of having their ‘voices heard.’ The actual protest itself allowed for all participants to unite behind one action and one voice.

The purpose was not to have a deliberate or calm debate on the subject. The purpose was to cause a visible disturbance to hold Imperial Metals accountable for their actions. The process was designed to pressure against the reopening of the mine. Further, to bring light to the problems of ongoing projects of Imperial Metals.

The protest was a small moment amongst a larger movement to educate and engage Canadians on the harmful practices of Imperial Metals.

Any information on the voices and decision making within the protest group and the equality of voices is not available. Anybody with ties to the event is encouraged to add their analysis here.

Influence, Outcomes, and Effects

Several Canadian news outlets have covered the protest, including mainstream media such as the Globe And Mail and CTV. News coverage may have generated higher awareness on the issue, but does not seem to have converted to more engagement or action from the general population. The mine still remains open to this day.

Analysis and Criticism

Given the goal of the protest to stop the reopening of the mine and hold Imperial Metals accountable, the protest was unsuccessful and protestors would be upset with the efficacy of the protest. The mine did in fact reopen. While Imperial Metals was charged with environmental cleanup, no criminal or civil charges were laid beyond that.

What worked well was the mission to bring light to the situation. The occupying of Imperial Metals offices and the subsequent arrests brought a lot of local media attention. This would amplify their message and help with engaging Canadians on the issue. However, the focus of the press was largely on the arrests as opposed to the message. This method was more effective on informing the public on police action rather than protest action.