COMMENTARY — MPs pledge support for mining

Federal members of Parliament have made an important step towards addressing the concerns of the Canadian mining industry. In early November, the House of Commons adopted Motion 292, which states that the federal government should act to encourage exploration and development of mineral deposits in Canada. The motion, introduced in June by Liberal MP Benot Serr, passed unanimously. We in the mining industry should interpret this development as a sign that the elected representatives of mining communities want the government to begin fulfilling its promises. These promises were in the Whitehorse Mining Initiative and in the Liberal Party’s electoral mining platform, specifically the Red Book and the Orange Book. In the latter publication, also known as Building a More Innovative Economy, Industry Minister John Manley stated that regulatory reform would occur before the end of 1995.

These promises have yet to be fulfilled; nevertheless, that one small step taken in the House of Commons is to be regarded as significant, for it demonstrates that the Cabinet is hearing from its own benches that the time to act is now.

For years, the mining industry was virtually ignored in Parliament. In recent months, however, the mining industry has received unprecedented attention. Since September, MPs from both sides have stood in the House and asked the government to remove impediments to mining investment in Canada. On three occasions, petitions from the “Keep Mining in Canada” campaign, calling for government action, were tabled by MPs.

Another motion for “revitalizing investment in exploration in Canada and Quebec” (M-427) was tabled in late September by MP Bernard Deshaies, and the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) was recently asked to appear before the Standing Committee on Natural Resources to offer recommendations for improving the state of the industry. Elected officials have become aware of the issues facing the mining industry, and of the urgent need for regulatory reform. This is due, in part, to Keep Mining in Canada, but even more credit belongs to the support shown by people who live in mining communities and work in mining and related industries. The ultimate credit, and responsibility, belongs to those elected officials who listen to the concerns of their constituents. Adopting Motion 292 was a welcome and significant step; it could be the first step towards meaningful government action.

— The author, president of MAC, has written this article at the request of “Keep Mining In Canada,” a grassroots campaign designed to increase awareness of the importance of mining.