COMMENTARY — Encourage exploration now

The time for action is now, says Helene Cartier, an engineer and lawyer with gold-producer Cambior who has been speaking to industry audiences throughout Quebec on behalf of the “Keep Mining In Canada” campaign.

“It is time for change, a time to reverse the trends that have been prevalent in the Canadian mining industry in recent years,” she says. “The Canadian mining industry has historically been a world leader, but that is now changing because investment is going elsewhere.”

The number of working mines across the country is decreasing as a result of exploration activity leaving for Latin America, where governments are actively trying to attract mining investment by offering healthy incentives. “We are at the point now where if something is not done to create a more attractive climate for exploration immediately, the mining industry is going to be fighting for survival in the not-too-distant future,” Cartier says. When exploration slows down, the number of new mine openings drops off. When mines stop opening, jobs stop being created.

“Ultimately, with the huge number of jobs directly and indirectly related to mining and the importance of mining to the economy as a whole, we’re talking about a drop in the national standard of living — unless some key actions are not taken to support the mining industry,” she says.

Despite her grim depiction of the possible future, Cartier remains hopeful. “The mining industry in Canada has a long and proud tradition. We have the knowledge, the workforce and the drive to make it work for Canada. We must start by making exploration attractive in Canada,” she says. “We need government action, and we need it now. Encouraging exploration would be an enormous step towards guaranteeing the future of our industry in the face of intense international competition.”

The benefits, Cartier says, will pay for themselves many times over in the form of jobs and increased economic activity for all sectors that depend on Canadian mining, from transport to manufacturing.

“Keep Mining in Canada,” sponsored largely by the Mining Association of Canada, is a national grassroots campaign designed to increase public awareness of mining matters and to encourage governments to take action on key mining policy issues.