In this episode of 'Beneath the Surface', we sit down with Jamie Kneen, Outreach Coordinator and Canada Program Co-Lead at Mining Watch Canada, to talk about the recent updates to Canada’s "critical minerals" list. The federal government has expanded the list to 34 minerals, emphasizing their role in fostering economic opportunities. We explore the implications of the government's outlook, focusing on the potential environmental impacts and the challenges it poses to Indigenous rights. Jamie also shares insights into alternative approaches that prioritize recycling and reducing demand.

Learn more about Mining Watch Canada: https://www.miningwatch.ca/ Learn more about the BC Mining Law Reform network: https://reformbcmining.ca/

As northern BC's glaciers melt, revealing new salmon habitats, these critical ecosystems face imminent threats from increased mineral staking. Tara Marsden, Wilp Sustainability Director for the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, discusses the complex interplay between emerging salmon habitats and the mining industry's race to claim these newly accessible lands. Tara sheds light on the urgent need for reform in the Mineral Tenure Act to protect these vital habitats and ensure that mining exploration and development practices align with conservation goals and Indigenous rights.

"Mining stakes claim on salmon futures as glaciers retreat": https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adj4911

In this episode of Beneath the Surface, we sit down with Nikki Skuce, Director of the Northern Confluence Initiative and co-chair of BC Mining Law Reform, to dive deep into the reform process for British Columbia’s Mineral Tenure Act (MTA). Nikki brings to light the historical context of the MTA, its longstanding impact on Indigenous rights and land use, and why comprehensive reform is not just necessary but urgent.

Listeners will also hear about the active role of the BC Mining Law Reform network in advocating for mineral staking reform and the specific outcomes we hope to achieve through the reform process.

Nikki provides practical ways listeners can support the reform efforts, including signing the following petition on our website: https://reformbcmining.ca/update-laws/.