I might answer from the perspective of a geophysicist. I am an “explorer“ by profession. Canada is a major prospecting country. We have a huge land mass and our geology is conducive to mineral deposits. We only have to find them. Canada is among the five or ten largest producers of many of the 60 minerals we mine. There is no doubt that this is one of our strengths. The fact that we attract every year 20% of the world's investment in exploration means that the world recognizes the future of mining in Canada and Quebec. In yearly surveys, Quebec is viewed as the best area in the world in terms of exploration.
On May 14th, 2009. See this statement in context.