 |
News Release
PDAC President: Aboriginal Communities Are Natural Partners with Mineral Industry
October 5, 2011 - New York, N.Y. -
The mineral exploration and mining industry offers tremendous
opportunities to Aboriginal peoples in Canada and indigenous communities
around the world, the president of the Prospectors and Developers
Association of Canada (PDAC) told delegates yesterday at the World
Indigenous Business Forum in New York.
“Aboriginal people and
the mineral industry are natural partners,” said Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans, PDAC president. “And mining represents one
of the few economic opportunities in many parts of Canada that can
support business development, jobs, training, education and sustainable
economic and community development.”
Dr. Jobin-Bevans adds that
the mineral industry is the largest private-sector employer of
Aboriginal peoples in Canada and that Aboriginal employees comprise 7.5
percent of the country’s total mining labour force – a number that
continues to grow. Furthermore, the average income of Aboriginal
people in mining is double that of the national average for Aboriginal
income.
“Aboriginal participation in the industry is increasing
and taking on a variety of forms,” said Dr. Jobin-Bevans, citing the
example of Tli Cho Logistics, which is owned by the Tlicho Nation
located in the Northwest Territories near Yellowknife, close to Canada’s
first diamond mines. Tli Cho Logistics was formed through
negotiated agreements reached with BHP Billiton’s Ekati diamond mine and
Rio Tinto’s Diavik to provide its members with mining-related employment
and business opportunities.
The company began providing site
services to remote, northern mines and is now expanding its business to
include construction projects in other parts of Canada. With
almost 400 employees, Tli Cho is generating profits for its people while
providing sustainable employment and skills development.
“We
have seen an increase in Aboriginal service companies, geologists,
drillers, engineers, lawyers, and labourers … even modest growth in
communities that have their own mining companies,” says Dr. Jobin-Bevans.
“The next evolution for Aboriginal participation in the mineral industry
is to increase involvement to the point where communities and its
members have the capacity to do initial exploration, secure mineral
titles, seek partners and develop publically traded companies.”
During his presentation, Dr. Jobin-Bevans restated the PDAC’s
acknowledgement that “the responsible development of Canada’s mineral
wealth must provide full and fair opportunity for Aboriginal peoples,
along with other Canadians, to enjoy the benefits that all phases of the
exploration and mining provide.”
He also repeated the PDAC’s
recognition “of constitutionally-protected Aboriginal and Treaty Rights
and encouraged members to engage with communities, respect these rights
and minimize any impacts that may result from activities on the land.”
Dr. Jobin-Bevans credited the PDAC with having done much to
increase Aboriginal participation in the mineral industry. These
achievements include signing the historic Memorandum of Understanding
with the Assembly of First Nations in March 2008; Mining Matters,
a registered charitable organization founded by the PDAC that introduces
young students and teachers to geology; and PDAC’s participation in the
First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment Program, which
offers a geology, minerals, mining and job training workshop with
content specially tailored to Aboriginal young people in remote
communities.
Dr. Jobin-Bevans also highlighted the Aboriginal
Program which takes place during the PDAC’s annual Convention every
March in Toronto. Now in its sixth year, the Aboriginal Program
continues to grow as it showcases successful partnerships between
Aboriginal communities and exploration and mining companies.
“At the 2011 Convention, three different agreements were signed and
delegates were able to witness firsthand the positive result of sound
engagement efforts and good relationship building – activities that take
time, respect, honesty and trust,” said Dr. Jobin-Bevans. “We were also
pleased to welcome AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo and more than 400
self-identified Aboriginal delegates. We look forward to building
on the program’s success for the 2012 PDAC Convention hope to see all of
you there.”
PDAC represents the Canadian mineral
exploration and development industry and is best known for its annual
convention. Held every March in Toronto, it is the world’s largest
annual mineral industry conference and this year we had more than 27,000
delegates – a new record – with representation from 120 countries.
Scott Jobin-Bevans is the President and a Director of the PDAC. He
holds a Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario and is a director
and founding partner in Caracle Creek International Consulting Inc.
He has raised capital for private and junior exploration companies; held
management, director and officer positions with public companies; and
managed multi-million dollar mineral exploration projects from early
stage through advanced development.
For a PDF copy of this news release
click here.
For more information, please contact:
Steve Virtue M.A.
Director, Communications
Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)
416.362.1969
x225
svirtue@pdac.ca
|
