Champagne rebuffs criticism his anti-China stance will hurt miners, calling himself a ‘hawk’ on security – by Naimul Karim (Financial Post – March 6, 2023)

https://financialpost.com/

Some miners are worried Ottawa’s newfound emphasis on security could put a chill on investment

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said that his sudden decision to block Chinese investments in three Canadian lithium companies last year was “well-received” by Canada’s partners and allies, as he tried to allay concerns by some miners that the move has had the unintended consequence of making the country a less desirable place to invest.

However, Champagne defended his decision, saying there is “more intersection today than ever before between national security and economic prosperity,” and that most of the world realizes that.

“I have been a hawk when it comes to these national security reviews,” Champagne said at a press conference at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) convention in Toronto on March 6. “I see a record number of people who want to invest in Canada, so I don’t have those concerns.”

Some miners have gone public with their worries that the federal government’s newfound emphasis on security could put a chill on investment and reduce the pool of funds from which Canadian companies can draw.

For the rest of this article: https://financialpost.com/commodities/mining/pdac-2023-champagne-anti-china-hurt-miners