EDITORIAL PAGE — Canadian mining industry plans strategy for the future

The author, president of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy & Petroleum (CIM), has written this column at the request of “Keep Mining In Canada,” a grassroots campaign designed to increase awareness of the importance of mining in this country.

In this age of globalization, we must realize that knowledge will be the ultimate resource and the key to keeping a competitive edge. Canadian investment capital and, more importantly, our expertise in technology and human resources are being used around the world. In this environment, Canada needs a strong, home-grown mining industry in order to stay one step ahead.

Canadian mining companies and associations have always had one eye on the future, and we must continue to lay the foundations for tomorrow. As the CIM approaches its centennial, which will occur in 1998, it seems appropriate to pause and take stock of the Canadian mining industry. The centennial should motivate us to renew our commitment that Canada play a leading role in mineral exploration and development.

Key to our success in this area is technological expertise. Canadian innovations are used at home and around the world by scores of mining companies, and this is no mere happenstance. Canadian companies aggressively pioneer new technologies that make mines around the world safer and more efficient. Canada also leads in environmental practices, thanks, in part, to this technological development. Canadian companies also spend millions of dollars restoring land, and they adhere to strict, largely self-imposed environmental standards. These companies set the standard around the world.

However, the Canadian mining industry’s ability to attract foreign investment has taken a downturn in recent years. Despite our favorable geology and unparalleled human and technical resources, the globalization of the mining industry has created a worldwide competitiveness that Canadian governments have not sufficiently addressed. Despite the earnest attempts by organizations and associations to attract foreign capital, it is ultimately up to government to stimulate investment in this country.

The government must complement initiatives begun by industry with actions of its own. The mining industry has voluntarily assumed responsibility for environmental sustainability. In turn, the government must clarify and streamline the environmental approval process. On this and other key issues, Canada’s mining organizations (including the “Keep Mining in Canada” campaign) are united and focused; moreover, they are ready to work closely with both levels of government.

All these issues must be addressed to ensure that Canada’s mining industry remains competitive in the next century. As encapsulated in CIM’s Centennial logo, Canada’s miners take “pride in the past” and hold out a “vision for the

future.”