Article by PBI-Canada

Kath Nygaard (interpretation), Brent Patterson (PBI-Canada), Javier Garate (PBI-Colombia), Paul Manly (MP), Fiona Meyer Cook (PBI-Canada), Danielle Mulima (MP assistant), Karen Hamilton (Above Ground), Ivan Madero (CREDHOS).

On April 27, Peace Brigades International-Canada convened a meeting with Paul Manly (Member of Parliament, Nanaimo-Ladysmith).

Several issues were discussed, most notably:

The dangerous situation for environmental defenders in Colombia

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for environmental defenders. Last year, 177 human rights defenders were killed in Colombia. Last month, CREDHOS president Ivan Madero received yet another death threat. He has called on the Colombian state to provide protection and security guarantees for all defenders.

The Canadian companies supporting fracking in Colombia

ExxonMobil was recently authorized by the Colombian National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) to conduct a fracking pilot project in the Magdalena Medio region. The Toronto-based company Sintana Energy owns 30 percent of that exploration block. Additionally, Calgary-based Canacol Energy has been assessing its potential to frack in Colombia and has recently spoken hopefully about being able to proceed with that.

Concerns about Export Development Canada financing

Export Development Canada has signaled fracking as an investment opportunity for Canadian companies. It has also provided financing to Calgary-based Parex Resources despite concerns expressed by Colombians about the environmental and human rights implications of its Aguas Blancas operations. Above Ground has called on EDC to stop providing financing to Canadian and foreign oil and gas companies (on average $13.8 billion a year).

Later in the week, on April 29, many of these issues were highlighted by Ivan, Karen, and other speakers in this PBI-Canada webinar.