You mean in Canada.
Evidence of meeting #25 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pork.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #25 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pork.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:25 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Aura Minerals Inc.
You mean in Canada.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Yes, in Canada; they don't come close to meeting the Canadian standards for the environment.
It's a difficult issue to deal with, and I wonder whether you can help me as to how I could respond to this criticism on the issue of Canadian companies going to Central and South America.
12:25 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Aura Minerals Inc.
I would just reiterate that under our CSR policy, which we talked about briefly before, our standards are pretty absolute. We're not going into Honduras because we can get away with something there that we couldn't get away with in Canada. Environmentally we're enforcing the World Bank standard for environmental protection. It's the Equator Principles, it's the IFC standard for environmental protection. It's the same thing with community development.
The answer to the constituent is that we're abiding by the same rules we would abide by in Canada, the United States, or Europe.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Okay. I'm simply saying that it's not just one constituent; it's a number of constituents, who come in on a regular basis making these allegations. But you've given me your answer.
12:25 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Aura Minerals Inc.
It is not the case for Chinese companies, with all due respect. It is the case for Canadian companies in general. We're all listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. We would be dead if we didn't enforce the absolute standard.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Thank you very much.
I want to thank the witnesses for coming in. It has been very informative. I appreciate all of your questions as well as your answers, and your testimony as well.
We will now suspend as we move into an in camera session to deal with some business of the committee.
[Proceedings continue in camera]