If the Liberal government stands past the Sept. 23 throne speech, Martin Blanchet’s seven-year battle to get somebody with authority to look into how Canadian mining companies and others treat workers, communities and the environment in poor countries will finally get an airing in the House of Commons. 

In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops president Bishop Doug Crosby has accused Canadian mining companies of “unethical, unjust and irresponsible ways of mining” in Latin America.