Back-country paddle-o-rama
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- Published on Thursday, 10 October 2019 07:02
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Somewhere way out there in the wilderness, near the roadless border between B.C. and Alaska, is a mine that has been leaking bright orange acid mine drainage into a tributary of the salmon-rich Taku River for six decades.Six.
Decades.
Even though the mine is a subject of some international tension (a group of eight U.S. senators wrote to Premier John Horgan this summer, asking him to tend to the mess), it's largely been one of those out of sight, out of mind stories. You know the ones.
So we asked you to help us send a photojournalist out to document it. And holy dynamite, did you ever deliver.
This week we've got the photo essay to win them all — an on-the-ground, first-person account of the 130-kilometre trek to this lush and remote wilderness and the infamous mine for which it's unfortunately becoming known.The timing of this piece by Colin Arisman couldn't be better: right now the B.C. government is welcoming public comment on outdated mining legislation that allows companies to walk away from their projects without cleaning up.
The timing's so hot we're asking all of our readers to spread this photo essay far and wide. Use the buttons below to get the word out!
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Incredibly, this important piece of journalism was funded by 94 of our readers who generously stepped forward to bring this project to life.There aren't words enough to express our gratitude.
Thank you.
As always, we've got lots for you this week so please read on.
Enjoy,
Emma Gilchrist
Editor-in-Chief
Are you thinking about the election? Trying not to think about the election?
A few weeks ago we published an explainer piece on where Canada's major parties stand on all things environment and it's our most-read piece of the last month. You might find it handy.
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We'll try to answer as many of you as possible in next week's newsletter.
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