PDAC e-News and Activities, January 28, No. 23

Page Index
PDAC announces 2005 annual awards winners
Securities committee seeks support for regulatory reform
Industry coalition opposes draft environmental bill in Ontario
Implications of Haida and Taku River Tlingit judgement for resource industries
Guidebook on aboriginal community engagement released
Aboriginal engagement and sustainability conference, Vancouver, Feb 8 - 9
B.C. releases mining plan
New Boreal Prospectors Association set up in Ontario
Elliot Lake celebrates its 50th anniversary
Mineral industry exploration technology workshop in Sudbury
Conference on resources, relationships, risks and rewards of mining
February seminar to discuss opportunities in southeastern Europe
Conference on mining law and investment in Latin America and the Caribbean

PDAC announces 2005 annual awards winners
The PDAC’s board of directors is pleased to announce the following awards winners for 2005:

Cortez Geology Team of Placer Dome Inc. - Thayer Lindsley International Discovery Award Falconbridge Ltd. Sudbury Exploration Team – Bill Dennis Prospector of the Year Award Clive Johnson and Terry MacGibbon – Viola R. MacMillan Developer’s Award Donald T. Anderson and Robert B. Parsons – Distinguished Service Award Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. and Beth Clemson – E3 Environmental Excellence in Exploration Award Barry French, Bill Breukelman and Tony Spat – Special Achievement Award Full details here.

Securities committee seeks support for regulatory reform
John Steele, co-chair of the PDAC securities committee, and David Comba, director of regulatory affairs, have held meetings during January with British Columbia and Ontario government officials to seek support for the association’s position on securities reform. A special session on this issue will be held on the afternoon of Monday, March 7, during PDAC Convention 2005. The Ontario government has agreed to be represented on a panel that will be discussing the nature and structure of a single securities regulator. For more information, contact David Comba.

Industry coalition opposes draft environmental bill in Ontario
A letter writing and advocacy campaign is underway in Ontario to point out the potential negative and far reaching effects of Bill 133, Environmental Enforcement Statute Law Amendment Act. The campaign has been mounted by a coalition of over 20 associations, both provincial and national, that represent a broad spectrum of industrial sectors. The chief concerns about the proposed legislation are: uncertainty as to what constitutes a contravention, environmental penalties that lack due process, and the structure of fines. The Ontario Mining Association and Ontario Prospectors Association are representing the mineral industry in the coalition. However, the PDAC is involved because the potential impact of the proposed legislation is wide-ranging with national implications. As well as pointing out the harmful effects of the proposed legislation to the Ontario environment minister, the coalition is requesting effective multi-stakeholder consultation to analyze and consider alternatives. For more information, contact Philip Bousquet.

Implications of Haida and Taku River Tlingit judgement for resource industries
Sixty people from mining, aboriginal groups, government, and the legal community attended a presentation on January 17 by Charles Willms on the implications of the Supreme Court’s recent judgements in Haida v. British Columbia and Taku River Tlingit First Nation v. British Columbia. Mr. Willms is a lawyer with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (Vancouver). The event was organized by the PDAC’s aboriginal affairs committee and sponsored by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Click here for a copy of Mr. Willms’ commentary on the judgement.

Guidebook on aboriginal community engagement released
The B.C. and Yukon Chamber of Mines has released a draft guidebook that gives practical advice to the mineral industry on how to develop working relationships with aboriginal communities. Industry members are invited to comment on the guidebook which is available in hard copy only. For a copy and to send your views, please contact Leilah Tate, ltate@chamberofmines.bc.ca. The final document will be available in June 2005 and will be posted on the E3 Environmental Excellence in Exploration website.

Aboriginal engagement and sustainability conference, Vancouver, Feb 8 - 9
The PDAC has been working with the B.C. and Yukon Chamber of Mines and Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) on the preparation and promotion of a guidebook on mining and aboriginal community engagement (see above story). CBSR will be hosting a conference consisting of presentations and workshops that consider these matters further. The conference, entitled Building Sustainable Relationships: Aboriginal Engagement & Sustainability Conference, will be held on February 8 and 9 in the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. Click here for details.

B.C. releases mining plan
The British Columbia government released its mining plan on January 18. The plan, which aims to revitalize mining in the province, is built on four cornerstones: communities and First Nations; protecting workers and the environment; global competitiveness; and access to land. The plan contains some interesting statistics that demonstrate the economic benefits of B.C.’s mines to the local, provincial, and federal treasuries. Full copy (PDF).

New Boreal Prospectors Association set up in Ontario
The Boreal Prospectors Association has been established as a member group of the Ontario Prospectors Association. The new group will identify and address those particular geographical, governmental and cultural challenges that face industry members north of 51 and will represent and further its members’ interests to promote a sustainable mineral industry in northern Ontario. The association’s first general meeting and symposium will be held on February 22 and 23 in Sioux Lookout. Click here for details (PDF).

Elliot Lake celebrates its 50th anniversary
Remembering..50 years is the theme for the 50th anniversary of the City of Elliot Lake, Ontario. The city is looking forward to welcoming visitors to the host of events that will celebrate this special year. A commemorative calendar containing depictions of head frames of Elliot Lake mines is available for $15.00. For more information, go to www.cityofelliotlake.com.

Mineral industry exploration technology workshop in Sudbury
The Ontario Mineral Exploration Technologies (OMET) program, in partnership with CRESTech, will be presenting a two-day workshop to discuss and assess modern mineral exploration technologies. The workshop, which is free of charge, will be held February 9-10 in Sudbury. Click here for more information or to register http://laurentian.ca/geology/merc.html or contact Wally Rayner at wrayner@laurentian.ca.

Conference on resources, relationships, risks and rewards of mining
The Mineral Economics and Management Society, in collaboration with the CIM’s Management and Economics Society and the Washington DC Section of SME, is holding its 2005 conference in Washington, DC from April 13-15. Theme of the conference is Resources, Relationships, Risks, and Rewards: Mining's 4 R's. A workshop on building a risk register for a mining project will precede the conference. Full details (PDF).

February seminar to discuss opportunities in southeastern Europe
A seminar, Europe's new frontier: Business and investment strategies in southeastern Europe, will be held at the Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto, on February 16. The seminar will discuss the challenges and opportunities of doing business in a region which tends to be little known or misunderstood by Canadian business. Speakers include Richard Ross (Inmet), Oyvind Hushovd (Grabriel Resources), Peter Munk (Barrick) and Jonathan Goodman (Dundee Precious Metals). Cost is $160.50 (includes GST; breakfast; lunch; two coffee breaks; two receptions and seminar material). Registration and program details.

Conference on mining law and investment in Latin America and the Caribbean
A three-day conference on international mining law and investment in Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in Lima, Peru, from April 11-13. The conference, which is being organized by the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, will include papers on legal issues relating to project finance and investment; project development, taxation and royalties; mine development; and sustainable development. Non-member registration fee (before March 7) is US$595. A manual of papers from the conference will be available. Registration and program details.

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