Evidence of meeting #11 for Natural Resources in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was uranium.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
We were founded more than 45 years ago, in 1955 or 1960.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
That's great. You currently represent 40 companies?
I'm just wondering—
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Yes? How many would you consider fully Canadian-owned out of the 40?
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
Well, to be a member of the Saskatchewan Mining Association, you actually have to be doing work and carrying out exploration or mining activity in Saskatchewan. Our main members are PotashCorp, Cameco, and AREVA, and AREVA is a subsidiary. Then we have a number of junior companies: Claude Resources, Golden Band Resources, and Shore Gold.
I would say that when you take the exploration companies into account, we're probably at well over 50%. I believe Sherritt is an international company, but they're Canadian.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
And where would the other 50% of the companies hail from? Are they mainly American, European...?
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
Mosaic is an American-based potash company.
They would be mainly from the United States, Australia, and Great Britain.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Thanks.
In terms of your membership, would you say that from 1955 it has been this mix? Or is it moving towards more or less Canadian ownership represented in your organization?
October 31st, 2011 / 4:05 p.m.
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
I think what we've seen in the last probably 15 years is been an increase in the number of Canadian-owned junior mining companies and junior exploration companies that are participating. The Canadian companies are very active globally. However, when you're looking at the large multinational companies, you're looking at more non-Canadian ownership.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
That's great. Thank you very much.
In the Quebec presentation, we heard a bit about the idea of a triple bottom line: that you measure your success economically, but also environmentally and socially. Can you give us a picture of your organization? How many of your members would follow that broader accounting practice of a triple bottom line?
Cofounder, Coalition pour que le Québec ait meilleure mine
You mention members. We represent mainly civil society, unions, and environmental and citizens groups. We don't have corporate members per se, so I'm not sure whether the question is still valid.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
I'm sorry. My question was directed towards the Saskatchewan association. Thanks.
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
Oh, I'm sorry. I thought initially the question was towards Quebec.
Would you mind repeating that question? I apologize.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
That's no problem at all.
I was talking about a triple bottom line kind of accounting. You look at economic benefits to your companies, but also at environmental and social benefits, and that is built into your bookkeeping. I'm wondering how many members of your association would follow that practice or something close to it.
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
We don't have a program such as the one the Mining Association of Canada has toward sustainable mining, or that sort of accounting, but I would like, if I may, to refer to Gary Merasty with Cameco to talk about some of the corporate social responsibility.
I would say generally, though, that our major companies that are active and producing all look at what you have referred to as a triple bottom line.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Sorry. I'm trying to learn as much about mining as I can through this committee.
I'm just wondering.... If you were going to pick a poster boy mine or company in terms of this triple bottom line, is there one company you would point out that perhaps follows closely with this economic environmental, and social accounting, so that I could take a look at the organization and learn a bit more about it?
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
I have two of my member companies in the room right now, but if you say “a poster boy”, I would say Cameco. I think they have an excellent global reputation, and certainly they have leading practices in terms of first nations and Métis engagement, as well as corporate philanthropy outside of that.
All of our companies have had very good environmental records as well and are profitable. We don't have access to AREVA's books, as they are a corporation of the Government of France, but certainly I would point to Cameco as a leader in this respect.
NDP
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Thank you.
Your work with first nations communities is a very admirable and important thing to do, especially when you're talking about developing the north. Are any of the companies that are members of your organization first-nation-owned or partnered or working with some kind of cooperative agreement? I think you mentioned one. I would like a fuller picture of that.
Executive Director, Saskatchewan Mining Association
One of the members of our exploration section is owned by a first nation: Kitsaki Procon Joint Venture. They do underground mining contracting with Golden Band Resources.
To more fully respond to that, I'd like Gary to respond.
Member, Saskatchewan Mining Association
Thanks for the question.
From a Cameco perspective, just to give you an example, from 2004 to 2010 we procured 75% of all the services required at our mine sites from aboriginal-owned or majority aboriginal-owned companies, which equals about $1.7 billion in that six-year period.
When I say “aboriginal-owned companies”, I mean they must be 50% aboriginal owned and they must have senior positions occupied by aboriginal people in the company. They also adopt our requirement for hiring northerners and trying to keep that rate at around 50%, so that one out of every two hires is at least from a northern community. On that front, 50% of the employees in our mine sites are from northern Saskatchewan first nations or Métis. All our contractors are also adhering to that and are also at more than 50%. Between Cameco and our large number of contractors, we have about 1,500 northern and aboriginal employees.
