Minister of Conservation Addresses MCC

May 10, 2009 | Government News

Recently the MCC’s Speaker Series featured the Honourable Stan Struthers, Manitoba’s Minister of Conservation.

A four-part video of the Minister’s speech is now available. Parts 1 and 2 cover “Understanding and Working With First Nations’, part 3 provides the Minister’s response to a question about negotiations between First Nations and the mining industry, and part 4 provides the Minister’s response to a question about financial assistance for the hog industry:

Part 1: Understanding and Working With First Nations Part a)

Part 2: Understanding and Working With First Nations Part b)

Part 3: Answering a Question About Negotiations Between First Nations and the Mining Industry

The MCC currently has a Resolution that directly relates to this issue:

MAKING MANITOBA THE BEST PLACE FOR MINING

Preamble: In March 2009, industry ranked Manitoba in 8th place globally in the Fraser Institute’s Survey of Mining Companies 2008/2009. Four years ago it was in 1st place.

Industry representatives surveyed indicated that the global economic slowdown has cast a pall over the mining industry with the vast majority of mining executives saying they expect a severe pull back in exploration activity and at least 30 per cent of exploration companies going out of business

The mineral industry is affected by the current global recession. Base metal prices have fallen by almost 70% over the past two years and analysts have not yet given assurances that we will be seeing recovery in the near future.

Manitoba’s second largest primary industry, mining, is at risk as Manitoba is the least competitive jurisdiction in Canada, according to the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Canadian Mining Taxation: 2007 Edition.

Resolution: That the Government of Manitoba,

(a) on a high priority basis demonstrate, from the office of the Premier and throughout, commitment to make Manitoba the best place in the world to engage in the mining business,

(b) establish a Premier’s Mineral Economic Advisory Council (“MEAC”) to advise government on steps to make Manitoba the best place to do business in mineral exploration and development, value-added processing and manufacturing (“the mineral industry”). Further, that the MEAC consider making recommendations respecting, but not be limited to, the following:

Regulations

1. Expediting the permitting process with clear processes and timelines;

2. Harmonizing the provincial and federal review process, with the objective of making Manitoba the lead jurisdiction;

3. Developing a “One Window” process for all permitting;

4. Reducing assessment fees for the next 3-year period given the unusual economic hardships faced by mineral exploration SMEs.

Taxation

5. Eliminating the cap on the Mineral Exploration Assistance Program (“MEAP”) program and fully funding the program to committed levels;

6. Further reducing taxes to be competitive to Saskatchewan and Ontario;

7. In the public interest, government resource revenue sharing with Aboriginal Communities with due regard to the Quebec and British Columbia approaches.

Duty to Consult

8. Creating clarity about aboriginal consultation standards in Manitoba;

9. Developing and resourcing a comprehensive mineral industry awareness program targeted at Northern and Aboriginal Communities;

Other

10. Addressing other matters deemed helpful to accomplish (a) above.

Part 4: Answering a Question About Financial Assistance for the Hog Industry

The MCC currently has a Resolution that directly relates to this issue:

TEMPORARY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HOG PRODUCERS

Preamble: Until recently the Manitoba hog industry was contributing approximately $1 billion to the Manitoba economy and employing up to 14000 people, exporting to the USA the highest number of live pigs in Canada (about 1.5 million market hogs and 4 million weanlings annually).

The hog industry has fallen on hard times in recent months due to rising feed and other input costs and falling market prices.

The implementation of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) legislation in the USA has had a drastic negative impact on Manitoba’s export of live pigs.

The governments of all of the other major pig-producing provinces in Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec) have introduced major cash payment programs to shore up their hog industries, yet Manitoba, the largest pig producer in Canada, has not.

Resolution: That the Government of Manitoba immediately introduce a temporary cash payment program to assist Manitoba hog producers to counter the impacts of COOL and see them through this unprecedented financial crisis.

The MCC thanks the Manitoba Pork Council for sponsoring Minister Struthers’ Breakfast.