COMMENTARY — Tumbler Ridge does its bit

The author is mayor of the district of Tumbler Ridge, B.C. This letter was sent to every mayor in British Columbia in support of that province’s Mining Week, which ran May 13-19. At the request of Keep Mining in Canada, a grassroots campaign designed to increase awareness of mining issues in this country, Mayor Kealy’s letter is reproduced below.

Dear Mayor:

Mining and related industries employ 335,000 Canadians and pay the country’s highest average salary, nearly $1,000 a week. The industry also pays taxes; in 1994, British Columbia’s mining industry paid $391 million to the three levels of government.

For years, Canada was the gold medalist in attracting worldwide investment.

Today, we are not even on the podium. Competition for investment dollars has intensified and, as a result, we have fallen, since 1991, from first to fourth place in our ability to attract exploration investment. According to the Metals Economics Group, Latin America is the most favored region. In 1995, Canadian investors spent, for the first time, more on exploration in Latin America than on exploration here at home.

Canada’s economic and policy framework must adjust to these new realities, and move forward in ways that will allow the mining industry here to compete more effectively. Canada’s regulatory, tax and land-use policies must foster a climate that allows for efficient progression from prospecting to production (an important factor for investors deciding where to seek and support a new mining venture). As it stands now, administrative red tape, cumbersome tax procedures and regulatory duplication are producing uncertainty and delays, and are inhibiting Canada’s ability to compete in the global arena.

We need to simplify the process, cut the red tape and eliminate duplication between federal and provincial regulations. By doing so, governments can foster a more favorable climate for mining in Canada — and save taxpayers money, with no less stringent environmental codes or practices.

Can mining contribute more to Canada’s future growth? The answer is a definite yes. We need all governments to work with the mining industry to tackle these problems with force and urgency.

The Keep Mining in Canada 12-point plan calls on the industry to: * work with governments and labor, aboriginal and environmental groups; * promote Canada as a significant investment destination;

* maintain leadership in all aspects of mining technology;

* continue to demonstrate environmental awareness;

* work with the First Nations to ensure their concerns are addressed; and * work to increase public knowledge of the mining industry.

The plan calls on government to:

* create a positive climate for investment and exploration; * make land-use decisions that recognize title and provide access to land; * encourage the settlement of land claims in a fair and timely manner; * adopt a streamlined regulatory system;

* implement workable provisions for site reclamation; and

* champion the safe use and re-use of metals and minerals internationally.

How can you help? Write to your member of Parliament stating your community’s support for keeping mining in Canada, and involve your community in the Keep Mining In Canada lobbying campaigns initiated by the Mining Association of Canada.

It is up to the citizens of British Columbia to make it known to our elected government officials that we want to keep the mining industry in British Columbia — and Canada.

Yours Truly,

Paul Kealy

Mayor, District of Tumbler Ridge