LETTERS TO THE EDITOR — Canada exporting engineers

Canadian mining and services companies are highly regarded internationally for technological, environmental and operational excellence. Mining can be seen as one of the pre-eminent environmental sciences and the most responsive to society’s demands.

This includes “thinking globally and acting locally.” For example, many of the former Soviet republics and South American countries want to float hard currencies to regain control of their economies, import consumer goods and high-technology manufacturing equipment, perform environmental clean-up and so on. They have successfully negotiated numerous joint ventures with Canadian mining companies to generate the foreign exchange required to pay for these.

The current global economic re-structuring (and global recession) is characterized by low metal prices. The mining version of “buy low/sell high” involves investing in the most modern, cost-effective and, by definition, environmentally sound technology during cyclic lows in preparation for the next upturn in metal prices. Since this investment is taking place outside Canada, the existing mining operations in Canada will be rendered largely uncompetitive. Outdated technology, high operating costs, environmental problems, etc., would be difficult to change even if modernization capital were to become available during the next upturn. (Buy high/sell low?) The Canadian Insitute of Mining and Metallurgy’s Careers Task Force reports that “by grade eight, most students would not choose science courses if given the option, because these courses are perceived as being difficult” and “high school teachers, not trained in science, are increasingly being assigned science classrooms.” (CIM Bulletin, June, 1993, p. 37.) However, it is highly likely that many of these same people consider themselves to be environmentalists, possibly considering careers as lawyers. This is reminiscent of the scenario presented by Ayn Rand in the novel Atlas Shrugged, wherein the productive elements of a society voluntarily withdrew their services and allowed the economy to collapse from within. The person responsible for this scheme was known to the public only by the graffiti question “Who is John Galt?” The reader may wish to propose his own answer, possibly with the name of a mining executive, or start the guessing game by asking “animal, vegetable or import?”

The global reality is that Canada has become a net exporter of mining engineers, capital, technology and expertise, with profound economic consequences. The Northern Miner’s commitment to following Canadian mining companies wherever they go may shortly require satellite reprinting services in Santiago and Tashkent to follow the readership base.

J.H. Shepherd, P.Eng.

Labrador City, Nfld.