EDITORIAL PAGE — WMI: A progress report

“A perfect agreement meant for a perfect world” is how one Canadian mining executive described the Whitehorse Mining Initiative (WMI) after it was signed in 1994.

The agreement defined a vision of a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable mining industry underpinned by political and community consensus. It involved mining companies, representatives from the environmental, labor and aboriginal communities, as well as federal and provincial government officials.

At the time, some felt that the goal was too ambitious; hence the somewhat cynical view that the agreement, however noble, would not be workable in the “real world,” where the parties are known to have conflicting goals and values.

Would an environmental group that previously questioned all resource development really “sign off” on a new mine? Would mining companies be willing to embrace proposals that effectively prohibited them from exploring parts of Canada’s land mass? And would the agreement result in anything other than shaking of hands followed by the parties retreating to their respective corners for the next round of fighting?

Last fall, WMI stakeholders met in Ottawa to discuss areas where progress had been made and areas where further action was required. Surprisingly, on the first count, the group was able to chalk up some solid accomplishments.

In recent years, in keeping with the spirit of the accord, several multi-stakeholder forums were held; the British Columbia Advisory Council of Mining acted on several principles of the accord; a training seminar was held in Vancouver, attended by geoscientists and by environmental, labor and aboriginal groups; and a land access symposium was held in Toronto. A national committee is preparing environmental recommendations for updated Metal Mining Liquid Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act.

While all this shows that the parties are talking, the question arises, Were any firm agreements or partnerships cemented? The WMI says yes, and points to the Ontario Mineral Sector Advisory Council, which, under the leadership of the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association, proposed to pursue further communications on mining-related issues with Ontario’s aboriginal communities. Under the Accelerated Reduction & Elimination of Toxics Program, sanctioned by Environment Canada, 13 members of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) voluntarily agreed to a 70% reduction in designated toxic releases by the year 2000.

Progress was also made on the political front. MAC worked with Ottawa and provincial governments to develop environmental impact assessment methods.

The Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs is developing a framework based on sustainable development principles for revising the Northern Mineral Policy. And various provinces have introduced legislation and proposals that aim to streamline mineral policy and the regulatory process.

Several land-use initiatives were also launched. Last spring, lands were set aside to create a park in the Bluenose area of the Northwest Territories. The process was endorsed by the First Nations, and by a resource company which relinquished some prospecting rights in the region. And several areas were withdrawn from further staking in Labrador until July of this year to allow land-claim negotiations with aboriginal groups to continue in good faith.

Various other programs are still in progress.

In all, these initiatives show that progress is being made and that the WMI was not in vain. The progress may be slow at times, but this is still better than no progress at all.