PHOTO: Westshore Terminals is Canada's largest exporter of coal - and is the most active single export coal terminal in all of North America. It is located at Roberts Bank in Delta, BC.

While he was attending the recent summit of La Francophonie in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Stephen Harper also met with human rights activists. Here's what he told them:

"We're concerned about many things in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including ... violations of human rights… unfairness in some of the electoral process, but also we're particularly concerned about the worsening situation in the eastern part of country. Canada will be supporting additional initiatives to combat the barbarous acts of sexual violence against women that are occurring all too frequently."

Quebec's Liberal government announced last June a $58-million loan to Mine Jeffrey Inc. for the revival of its chrysotile asbestos extraction project. This loan was conditional on the financial involvement of up to $25 million in the project of Balcorp Ltd., a Montreal-based international trade company with associated offices in India. The population of Asbestos received the announcement with great enthusiasm: twice, in 2008 and in 2009, the mine had temporarily ceased its operations, leading to the layoff of about 300 workers.

At a time of global water scarcity mining is one of the most water intensive and water polluting industries in the world. As home to some 60% of publicly traded mining corporations, Canada is complicit in the gross human rights violations and large scale environmental destruction of its mining companies.

 Canadian mining companies operating in Latin America have long evaded the enforcement of human rights obligations and environmental regulations. The Canadian government has aggressively pursued trade agreements throughout the region that have further entrenched the rights of Canadian mining companies,  and used foreign aid mechanisms to push for policies favourable to Canadian corporate interests.