Mr. Speaker, I will preface my answer by saying that I am not the expert on all the financial aspects. I tend to have a much more hands-on working geoscience knowledge on the ground.
I will say that it is fairly important for us to have a system because this is so high risk. Mining exploration for heavy metals, diamonds and some of the more exotic minerals is much, much more risky than it is for oil and natural gas. With today's technology, such as 3D seismic and various other things, and provided one is working with a competent firm and team, one does not often hit a dry well in a well researched and well explored basin when drilling for oil and gas.
When it comes to other forms of mining, the exploration is much more risky. That is why it is important, in regard to the good provisions that have been made, to continue them. There are sunset clauses on at least some of these provisions. The provisions need to be continued.
To go back to my speech, the timeline on these things is so long and immense that it is often difficult for people not in the industry to understand. People can go for years and years working as exploration geologists without actually ever finding a mine or working on a project that will become a mine. It is just the nature of the industry. I have had the privilege of working on a project in Baker Lake in Nunavut that looks it like will become a mine in the future.
I would say these provisions need to be carried on. The underlying premise in doing this has been very good. They need to be carried on. They also need to be integrated with an overall skills package to help the people who are working in these areas take full advantage of and have the opportunity for some of the skilled positions that are coming on stream.
It is very hard. There are not that many exploration geophysicists across Canada. There cannot be one in every village. Even many mining companies bring people like me in from specialist firms. However, there does need to be something done so that the very people who work in the areas where there is development and exploration--because it is not just the mines that provide jobs, it is the exploration that goes in front of it too--are able to take full advantage of the opportunity, be that with businesses in supplying the needs of the mining companies that are coming in or by specifically working in on-site jobs in various ways.
It is important to keep these tax measures and the packages that are coming to a sunset rolling forward. They have worked, but if they sunset we may lose some of the benefit because of the timeline that needs to be done. Mixed in with a bit more progressive look toward employment in some of these regions, I think we can have some very positive results continuing and Canada can continue to be a world leader in mining, both in diamonds and other minerals.