WHITEHORSE - A new educational tool will help
Aboriginal people make more informed decisions and take advantage of
opportunities offered by the mining industry in Canada. Released today in
Whitehorse, the Mining Information Kit for Aboriginal Communities
describes the mining cycle and identifies the many opportunities that
exploration and mining can bring to Aboriginal people.
The information kit is the product of a partnership among the Prospectors and
Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), the Mining Association of Canada
(MAC), the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals
Association (CAMA) and the Government of Canada (Natural Resources and
Indian and Northern Affairs).
"This is an excellent tool for Aboriginal people, industry and governments.
It ensures that Aboriginal communities have the knowledge they need to
participate fully in all aspects of mining," said the Honourable Gary Lunn,
Minister of Natural Resources.
"This valuable information kit demonstrates how partnerships between
government, industry and Aboriginal organizations play a key role in responsible
development of the North," said the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian
Affairs and Northern Development, and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and
Non-Status Indians.
" Canada's mining industry has become the largest private-sector employer of
Aboriginal Canadians. This information kit is designed to help Aboriginal
communities prepare for, and effectively engage in, new opportunities offered by
our sector," stated Gordon Peeling, President and Chief Executive Officer of the
MAC.
According to Patricia Dillon, President of the PDAC, "The
mineral industry offers excellent employment and business-development
opportunities for Aboriginal people, including youth, particularly those in the
northern regions of Canada. The kit contains details about training and the wide
range of jobs this industry offers."
Aboriginal communities are increasingly becoming recognized as key
contributors to the minerals and metals sector for labour and supplies. This kit
was developed to respond to the increasing needs of Aboriginal communities for
information products on minerals and metals activities. Approximately 1,200
Aboriginal communities are located within 200 kilometres of 190 producing
mines and 2,100 active exploration properties across Canada.
"A mining project can be a catalyst for positive economic development in an
Aboriginal community," said Jerry Asp, Vice-President of CAMA. "This
information kit will help us better understand mining activities, so that we can
make more informed decisions about our participation in the mining
industry."
This project reaffirms the commitment of the partners to work with Aboriginal
communities to increase the contribution of the minerals and metals industry to
the well-being of Aboriginal people.
The information kit will be available in both English and French, and will be
distributed to interested Aboriginal communities across Canada. It is available
on each of the partners' Web sites.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
A new information kit will help Aboriginal people make more-informed
decisions about mining and take advantage of the opportunities it offers for
their communities. The kit was produced by the Government of Canada in
partnership with industry and Aboriginal mining associations.
For more information, media may contact:
Ghyslain Charron Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada Ottawa 613-992-4447
Emma Welford Director of Communications
Office of the Minister Natural Resources Canada 613-996-2007
Media Relations Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada 819-953-1160
Pierre Gratton Mining Association of Canada
613-233-9392 ext. 319
Saley Lawton Director, Communications and
MembershipProspectors and Developers Association of Canada
416-362-1969 ext. 225
Hans MatthewsPresidentCanadian Aboriginal
Minerals Association705 858 4444aboriginal.minerals@sympatico.cahttp://www.aboriginalminerals.com/
The following media backgrounder is also available:
Mining
Information Kit for Aboriginal Communities
