Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to all the witnesses who are here today.
I'd like to start with Ben Chalmers of the Mining Association of Canada.
If my information is correct, I believe the mining association probably employs one of the largest numbers of indigenous people in Canada. In my own experience in my riding of Yellowhead, where there are several mines, I had the good fortune for two years to drive a bus and take miners back and forth, and we used to have a lot of conversations on conservation. The largest elk herd in British Columbia is located on the Coal Valley Resources mine. They work quite closely with the aboriginal community in the area to protect the animals there, to make it a better environment, and they've adapted very well to the environment of working machinery and mining.
We'll go on next door to Teck Coal, which has one of largest sheep herds. They wander among the working employees. They love to sit on the side of the hills that have been the tailings, for example.
I wonder if you could highlight other examples like that. In my riding I could give you a lot, but I wonder if you could highlight some of your other experiences in Canada.