COMMENTARY — A passing of the torch

The author, who was appointed Minister of Natural Resources following the Canadian federal election in June, provided the following article at the request of Keep Mining in Canada, an organization designed to increase awareness of the importance of mining in this country.

I want to thank Keep Mining in Canada for this opportunity to introduce myself to the Canadian minerals and metals industry.

Coming from a resource-based province like Saskatchewan, I am acutely aware of the huge economic importance of the mining sector. On July 8th, in St.

John’s, Nfld., I had the pleasure of meeting my provincial and territorial counterparts, along with industry executives and other stakeholders, at the 54th Mines Ministers’ Conference.

Through this discussion, I gained a greater sense of the key challenges currently facing this industry as it strives to maintain and increase its very substantial contribution to growth and jobs for Canadians — particularly in rural and remote communities.

The Government of Canada will maintain its unswerving commitment to fiscal responsibility — beating the deficit, balancing the budget, fostering moderate and stable interest rates and maintaining attractive conditions for investment in Canada.

We will build upon this country’s strong reputation as a global leader in mining. We must continue to expand our knowledge base and maintain a pre-eminent position with respect to science and technology. And timely progress must be made toward greater regulatory reform and efficiency.

On regulatory matters, our government has responded favorably to two reports by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources about streamlining federal requirements for mining. The Minerals and Metals Policy of the Government of Canada identifies regulatory reform as an important and ongoing process, which requires constant and conscientious interdepartmental and intergovernmental attention and co-operation. I want to do everything I can to make serious progress on this key front.

I look forward to working in partnership with private sector stakeholders, and with provincial and territorial ministers to build on the good work of my predecessor, Anne McLellan. With the help of initiatives like Keep Mining in Canada, I am confident that together we can ensure that Canada remains a world leader in mining with a prosperous industry that is committed to sustainable development.