SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The featured guest of a NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines luncheon at the Explorer Hotel deviated from his planned speech to address a controversial plan leaked by the chamber.

Mining Association of Canada president Pierre Gratton speaks at the Explorer Hotel on Sept. 18. Gratton said investments in infrastructure will be crucial for attracting any future exploration and mining activity in the territory. - Karen K. Ho/NNSL photo

The plan drafted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources had suggested a goal to conserve 40 per cent of the territory's land.

In a letter addressed to Premier Bob McLeod dated Sept. 11, chamber president Brooke Clements stated the plan directly conflicted with the NWT Mineral Development Strategy.

"We believe that if this initiative is allowed to proceed unchecked, it will seriously damage the NWT's already struggling minerals industry," stated Clements. The letter specifically refers to draft plan's goal to conserve 40 per cent of the NWT's land.

"Your conservation strategy, this is a decision for Northerners and a decision for the citizens of the NWT to make on how you want to manage your land and resources," said Mining Association of Canada president Pierre Gratton, who had been in Yellowknife starting on Sept. 15 and toured TerraX Minerals' Yellowknife City Gold Project that day.

Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Ramsay said he had been in discussions with Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger after Clements expressed concern toward the Department of Environment and Natural Resource's draft.

"(Miltenberger) has confirmed his department will continue to take feedback on this draft document until Oct. 19 with further decisions to be made by the next government," Ramsay said. "Resource development continues to be the very heart of our economy here in the Northwest Territories and we are going take our time. We have to ensure that we get this right for the benefit of all our residents."

The draft report included a timeline going five years ahead for development of the plan.

While a draft of a new conservation plan raised eyebrows from the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines, Ramsay said the territorial government is not in any rush to make final decisions affecting land available for development during a speech at the Explorer Hotel.

Gratton said his comments about the draft were unplanned when it came to the NWT Conservation Areas Action plan.

While Gratton said his current organization takes conservation seriously, he said experience as president of the Mining Association of British Columbia taught him the three largest threats to species risk were urbanization and urban sprawl, forestry as well as agriculture.

"I think you don't have any of those," he said with a smile and a laugh. "I can't see the mining industry having any long-term impact on conservation values here in the NWT for many, many years, if ever."

But Gratton said that for mineral exploration to succeed it needs access to a wide area of land, comparing it to finding a needle in a haystack.

Conversely, Gratton acknowledged mining can have a significant impact, but said it was still very localized, small and can be extremely well-managed today. He advised a cautious approach to any decisions about land and conservation.

"Let's make sure you don't send the wrong signal to the exploration community so that they will look at and see uncertainty," Gratton said. "And think, hmm, I think I'm going to go to the Yukon or I think I'm going to go to Nunavut or Zambia or Australia because I'm not sure what's going on."

He also addressed Miltenberger in his speech and said how they had only met that day.

"I have to say, this has been an interesting week and I feel I know you," Gratton said.

Much of Gratton's speech touched upon the current state of the mining industry, its contributions to the territory and the country, as well as how the sector can prepare for future opportunities when the downturn is over.

While Gratton called Northern Canada the future of the mining industry, he said a lack of infrastructure in many areas was the major challenge to servicing mines and getting mineral products to market.

"I suspect I'm preaching to the converted here," he said.

Gratton cited his organization's research with the chamber which found it costs two to 2.5 times more to find, build and operate a mine in Northern Canada.

But he said the territory currently "appears to be a bit complacent."

"The NWT has to think about what's next," Gratton said. "There's not a lot more in the pipeline."

The president said all of the diamond mines in the territory were discovered before 1998 and last year, exploration spending fell to $96 million (approximately half of the amount registered in 2007), much less than Nunavut and Yukon.

"That's what makes the proposed all-season road to the diamond region so important," Gratton said.

He expressed optimism the mining industry could work with governments and stakeholders to find solutions, as well as encouraging co-operation.

"We want it all," Gratton said. "And we can have it all."

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