EDITORIAL PAGE — They care!

The recent findings of a Decima Research poll into the attitudes of Canadians towards mining come as a pleasant surprise. Considering what politicians, in the various legislatures of the land have been doing to the industry of late, we were deeply worried that their actions reflected the attitudes of their constituents.

Apparently not, for unlike some politicians, an overwhelming majority of Canadians want to keep mining in Canada. In fact, according to the poll conducted in August, 93% of Canadians want to ensure mining is a government priority.

The reality is, of course, that mining is not a priority for most governments across this country. Too often, lightweight ministers are assigned the mining portfolio. (One exception is Shelley Martel in Ontario. But can anyone name the current federal mines minister?)

The Decima poll also revealed that 65% of Canadians were concerned that if governments do not act soon, Canada could lose a sizable chunk of its industry. This is a very real concern and, like it or not, the pages of The Northern Miner reveal the extent of the exodus. Week after week, the proportion of stories devoted to Canadian mining companies exploring abroad, primarily in Latin America, seems to grow.

This reflects the fact that exploration and development news about Canadian companies is being generated more from abroad than at home. (A historian with some idle time might find it an illuminating exercise to measure the proportionate coverage of foreign versus Canadian-made news across the past two decades in the pages of this newspaper.)

Getting back to the poll, we were pleased to learn 83% of respondents feel governments should check for mineral deposits when considering setting aside land for park designation or wilderness sites. The poll also answered a timely question: if a mineral deposit has been discovered, should designation still go ahead? Fully 63% responded by saying mining and other land uses should co-exist. Music to our ears.

A majority also felt current government regulations and policies actually discouraged needed mineral exploration and investment. In addition, the survey revealed more than half of those polled had a favorable opinion of the industry.

All in all, the poll was rather positive and leaves room for hope that mining in Canada perhaps has hit the trough and is ready to re-emerge as the economic force it has traditionally been in this country.

The group that commissioned the poll, the Canadian Mineral Industry Federation (CMIF), which represents the Mining Association of Canada and the various provincial and territorial mining associations, must now ensure the results are properly heeded in Ottawa and the provincial capitals. As Wayne Fraser, one of CMIF’s representatives in its current cross-country campaign called “Keep Mining in Canada,” noted, the importance of mining is not exactly news to communities which rely on mineral extraction for their economic well-being:

“Mining is a mainstay of employment and industrial activity in more than 150 communities with a total population of one million. Canadians realize there’s a lot at stake here and it’s time to take action to help ensure the long-term viability of these communities.”