[asia-apec 333] News clip of Canadian Premier's Visit

[bayan]

Today  - Wednesday January 15,1997 (Front Page Story)

Canadian Business Told: Don't Ruin Environment
By Malou Talosig - Reporter

A group of Canadian-based churches has asked Canadian Prime Minister Jean
Chretien and his 500-man trade delegation visiting the Philippines  to be
more socially conscious in venturing in businesses in Asia, reminding them
that a Canadian firm partly running the Marcopper  mines has yet to clean up
the mine tailings  mess in Marinduque.

"Profit for the 'creation of wealth' should not be the only consideration of
the government  and Canadians doing business abroad. The Canadian churches
expect them to be interested in how wealth is being distributed.  They
expect Canadian corporations  to uphold standards and rights related  to
workers, communities, the environment, regardless of where they do
business," said the Canada Asia Working Group in a statement faxed to TODAY.
 
The group said the Philippines experienced "one of the worst environmental
disasters" when the Marcopper mines, partly owned by Vancouver-based Placer
Dome, Inc. spilled three million tons of tailings in Boac and Makulapnit
rivers in Marinduque last year. The disaster killed the river and destroyed
the livelihood source of 20,700 residents in 27 villages.

The church group received reports  that a Canadian company, La Prairie
International Contractors Inc. is part of the consortium building  the
Casecnan Dam Project in Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya.

"The project threatens to submerge lands of the Bugkalot indigenous peoples
and displace over 20,000 people. Even if the people will not be physically
displaced, they will suffer  social and economic dislocation when the
forest, their source of livelihood, is declared  a watershed," the group said.  

Chretien arrived yesterday with a delegation of 400 businessmen and top
Canadian  officials to forge  a string of business and bilateral agreements,
beginning  with an air transport agreement that allows direct air services
between the two countries.

In a joint press conference at the Heroes Hall after bilateral talks with
the visiting official, President Ramos announced that he has formally turned
over to Chretien the chairmanship of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
leaders' summit for 1997.

Chretien noted that the sixfold growth  in trade between the two countries
can still be boosted.

Canada  ranked seventeenth  among the country's trading partners in 1995 and
is tenth  largest investor in the Philippines.

President Ramos said he was assured  by Placer dome officials  that they
will continue clearing the river choked by mine tailings of the
Marcopper-operated mine until "normalcy is restored in the area. 

Asked about the lessons to be drawn from the disaster  that had dislocated
hundreds of families , Chretien said, "We do not tell the company how to
operate on a daily basis  in foreign countries. We tell them to respect laws
and regulations of this country as we expect companies who come to Canada to
respect the laws and regulations of Canada.

With M. Gonzalez