Tuesday evening I heard Vaggelis Lampakis (the mayor of Alexandroupoli in the Thrace region of Greece) and Maria Kadoglou (an activist from the Halkidiki peninsula) speak at the University of Ottawa about mines being developed in their country by Vancouver-based Eldorado Gold. They were accompanied by Tolis Papageorgiou who is also from the Halkidiki peninsula.

They have travelled more than 7,500 kilometres to speak in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver to raise public awareness in Canada about the impacts the mines would have on their forests, land and water, and the harm the company has already brought to their community and democratic process.

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The May 14 general election in British Columbia was a setback to progressive political forces in the province and throughout Canada. The incumbent B.C. Liberals won a fourth straight term, winning 50 seats with 44 per cent of the vote, compared to 33 seats and 40 per cent for the opposition New Democratic Party.