Others' Gold

With the completion of this film, i wish to inform the public about another facet of the reality of mining. it is imperative that the impacts of these forms of development have on people be known before they enter the production phase. Others' Gold ques- tions the new operating procedures of the largest mining country in the world: canada.
For more than a century, mining companies have been exploiting mineral deposits in Abitibi.
For the first time in the region, a company seeking to operate a surface mine using the open-pit method in an urban area. this method consists of extracting huge amounts of rock from the earth. One third of the minerals are treated with cyanide in order to collect a small amount of precious metals, in this case, gold. people of Malartic are dealing with this reality. All along my re- search, i had the chance to meet them took the time to listen to them. their personal stories touched me so deeply that i have decided to let their voices to be heard in this film.
the economy of Abitibi is based mainly on the exploitation of natural resources: soil and forest. Ever since the settlers came to clear the land of Abitibi, the inhabitants of this region have carried a heavy legacy of colonialism. A vision for a sustainable future is hardly possible for the people who live on the cadillac fault, one of the richest gold faults in the world. by allowing mining and forestry companies to harness our natural resources, without requiring in return a vision for sustainable development, we maintain this unacceptable situation that gives all the power to these industries.
i firmly believe that the magnitude of the Osisko’s canadian Malartic project must have a resonance across the population and create a debate nationally. Mining rights accorded today are still extremely powerful today and have lost none of their privileges since their inception in 1880. More and more citizens have serious concerns, unwilling to accept that their community be held hostage by a mining company. i personally cannot be insensitive to an open-pit mining project that has already disrupted the lives of the 3640 citizens who form the community of Malartic. this project is putting at risk the foundations of my roots since it is shaking the Abitibi identity and values by destroying the heritage of an entire neighborhood.
despite the construction of new buildings in Malartic, five institutions including two schools and 70 to 80 houses will be wiped off of the map as a consequence of this mining developement.
i wish to offer the viewer food for thought. i strongly believe the importance of reflecting on these questions, such as whether a "resource" region should be condemned to exploit the resource below it until it is gone, without receiving direct compensation. With the passage of time do the inhabitants of these areas become resigned to the realities of large scale extraction? it is crucial we document these conflicts which will not cease to continue.
With this film, i am not trying to relay news to the viewer, but instead to take a personal look at the situation while trying to discover a more universal truth about the way we manage natural resources today. i hope this film will deliver to the viewer the feeling of helplessness that the people of Malartic can experience, experiencing the psychological state of the portion of this population that is left to itself. should we accept this type of mining project? Will other communities have to undergo similar expropriations? but above all, are we masters in our own land?
Simon Plouffe
Filmmaker