Canadian Media Resource Articles – Page 616

Forty five years after man first walked on the moon, a new space race is beginning to take shape – by Peter Kavanagh, (National Post – July 22, 2014)

July 22, 2014

The National Post is Canada’s second largest national paper.

It was our first truly global village moment, and it didn’t even take place on the planet.

Forty five years ago this past weekend, July 20th, 1969, at 20:18 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), half a billion people sat around radios or television screens, or stood, outside, eyes scanning the sky. I was one of them, moving back and forth between the TV in our living room and our front yard where I could stare straight into the sky and see the moon. I remember the moment — which I can (and do) relive on YouTube — and the incredible, quiet excitement when, while holding my breath and watching the slow, agonizingly descent, I heard the words, “Houston … Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

What we were all really waiting for, though, was the extreme rush that came six hours later when Neil Armstrong stepped down on to the surface of the moon and uttered that now famous phrase, “That’s one small step for man … one giant leap for mankind.” It was amazing, stunning, excruciatingly exciting. Every science-fiction story written had been made real, palpable and possible on that summer’s night. Everyone and anyone could dream about going to the stars, and no longer be dismissed as simply a dreamer. Having one’s head in the clouds lost its sting, briefly, as an insult.

And the world cheered … well, part of the world cheered. After all, despite the “We are all in it together” sentiment of Armstrong’s quote, landing on the moon was a key component of the space race, an adjunct of the Cold War. America’s accomplishment was, for the Soviets, a bitter defeat.

Land rulings a clear message to Ottawa, provinces: It’s time to govern – by Thomas Isaac (Globe and Mail – July 21, 2014)

July 21, 2014

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

Thomas Isaac is leader of the Aboriginal Law Group at Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt.

The Supreme Court of Canada has delivered two significant decisions this summer regarding aboriginal title and treaty rights. In June, the Tsilqhot’in decision affirmed aboriginal title over a discrete area of central British Columbia. In early July, the Keewatin decision confirmed Ontario’s authority to legislate regarding Treaty 3, including over areas such as forestry and mining.

At first the decisions look quite different. They deal with different provinces, different facts and appear to have differing outcomes. However, both decisions are actually consistent with each other and their outcomes similar. Both decisions affirm that governments bear the burden of balancing aboriginal and non-aboriginal interests fairly and reasonably and confirm that governments have the tools to govern.

In Tsilqhot’in, the Supreme Court confirmed the six Tsilqhot’in Bands hold aboriginal title to approximately 1,700 sq. km of remote and sparsely populated land in central British Columbia. As a result, these bands now hold the land and, with a few important restrictions, can use and derive benefits from it. Importantly, the decision confirms that both governments can legislate regarding aboriginal title lands and can infringe aboriginal title, where justified.

While Tsilqhot’in is the first decision affirming aboriginal title in Canada, there is actually little new law in it, except that it is now clear that provincial laws can apply to aboriginal title lands and that provinces and the federal government can infringe aboriginal title.

Lone producer, Canadian firm lead charge on Greek energy – by Eric Reguly (Globe and Mail – July 21, 2014)

July 21, 2014

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

ATHENS – In the 1970s, an unlikely company played a key role in opening up Greece’s oil and gas industry. That company was Toronto’s Denison Mines, then better known as a uranium miner but one with ambitions to put the Eastern Mediterranean on the energy map.

It worked for a while. Offshore rigs in the Prinos field, in the brilliant blue northern Aegean Sea, pumped away until the late 1990s, when the oil price collapsed. The Denison-led consortium handed the entire project to the Greek government and walked away.

For the next two decades, pretty much nothing happened in the Greek oil and gas sector even though the country’s energy bill was soaring.

That all changed in 2009, when a new Greek explorer, Energean Oil & Gas, prodded the old field back to life. Today, it is Greece’s only oil producer and, with the help of a small Canadian company, Petra Petroleum, is leading the charge to prove that Greece can meet a good chunk of its energy needs.

“Any discoveries of oil and gas would be a huge benefit to the local market,” said Energean chief executive officer Mathios Rigas, a former investment banker and private equity fund manager. “We will never find out unless we drill wells.” Foreign investors are starting to pay attention.

The case against asbestos: Accidental exposure, entirely preventable – by Kat Sieniuc (Globe and Mail – July 21, 2014)

July 21, 2014

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

Some 60 years ago, lumps of wet, grey material were given to students in art classes to shape and mould into art to proudly display at home. It was especially good for objets d’art such as candle holders, since the substance was famous for stopping the spread of flames.

That material was asbestos, now known as a toxic material for which there is, quite simply, no safe level of exposure. It’s still regularly found in older schools and universities across Canada, wrapped around pipes, above ceilings and behind walls.

Though asbestos is the biggest workplace killer in the country, Health Canada is committed to the position that it’s only an issue when fibres become airborne and “significant quantities” are inhaled or ingested. While the Canadian government maintains it has “consistently acted to protect Canadians from the health risks of asbestos,” dozens of countries – including Britain, Australia, Japan, Sweden, Germany and Denmark – have banned it outright in recognition of the fact that exposure to fibres can cause various diseases, including mesothelioma and other cancers.

The World Health Organization has declared all forms of asbestos carcinogenic and recommends its use be eliminated; the International Agency for Research on Cancer has said there is no safe form of asbestos, nor is there a threshold level of exposure that is risk-free.

Ontario should import low-cost hydroelectric power from Quebec – by Jack Gibbons (Toronto Star – July 21, 2014)

July 21, 2014

The Toronto Star has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

Jack Gibbons is chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.

Their highly radioactive waste will linger forever, but the elderly nuclear reactors that provide half of Ontario’s electricity will soon reach the end of their lives. And the task of rebuilding them, currently in the planning stages, will almost certainly burden the fiscally crippled province with even more debt while electricity prices maintain their steeply upward trajectory for decades to come.

As an alternative, letting the oldest reactors die and replacing their output with clean, renewable water power from Quebec could save Ontario $600 million a year in foregone nuclear costs — beginning as soon as the two neighbours decide to end the electricity separatism that has traditionally stood in the way of such a logical and mutually beneficial hookup.

Quebec is the fourth-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world and its electricity rates are among the lowest in North America. Its residential rates are 45 per cent lower than ours and its industrial rates are 55 per cent lower. In recent years, the province has produced far more cheap, clean electricity than it can use itself.

Meanwhile, its next-door neighbour, Ontario, is struggling with some of the highest power costs in the country and facing a minimum $13-billion bill to refurbish the Darlington nuclear reactors. There is already enough transmission capacity linking the two provinces to replace 97 per cent of the power currently produced by Darlington — and a tremendous opportunity to strike a deal that would provide huge economic benefits for both provinces.

Osisko CEO touts new mining royalty firm with ‘a little extra punch’ – by Peter Koven (National Post – July 18, 2014)

July 18, 2014

The National Post is Canada’s second largest national paper.

The mining royalty space already has some serious players for investors to choose from, but Sean Roosen is convinced his new offering stands out from the pack.

“We’ve got a couple of areas where we think we bring a little extra punch to the table,” the chief executive of Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. said in an interview.

The stock started trading last month and was well-received from the start, opening above the implied valuation at launch and remaining there ever since. The company does not even have a website yet (apart from a splash page), but has generated plenty of investor interest.

That is not surprising. The royalty firm was spun out of this year’s $3.7-billlion takeover of Osisko Mining Corp., which was one of the mining sector’s most successful companies of the past decade. The team at Osisko Mining, led by Mr. Roosen, found and built the massive Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec, a world-class gold mine.

Nearly all the key players behind Osisko Mining are working together again at the royalty firm, including Mr. Roosen, John Burzynski (senior vice-president) and Brian Coates (president). They have a dedicated investor following who made money with Osisko Mining and are keen to do it again.

Arianne Phosphate lifts Quebec resource base – by Henry Lazenby (MiningWeekly.com – July 18, 2014)

July 18, 2014

http://www.miningweekly.com/page/americas-home

TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – TSX-V-listed Arianne Phosphate, which is developing the Lac à Paul project, in Quebec, this week reported that its 2014 drilling programme had enabled it to significantly lift its flagship project’s compliant inferred resources.

The Saguenay, Quebec-based firm on Wednesday said it had added 146-million tonnes grading 5.30% phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), when using a 3.5% P2O5 cutoff grade, from the South TraMan Zone in the inferred category to its mineral resources.

The company also revealed that it had identified a new inferred resource from the Traverse zone totalling 17-million tonnes at 5.98% P2O5, at a 3.5% P2O5 cut-off grade.

Arianne noted that the added 163-million tonnes grading 5.37% P2O5 of inferred resources at the South TraMan and the Traverse Zones, along with the 78-million tonnes grading 5.34% P2O5 of inferred resource at Nicole Zone and a potential mineral target of between 260-million and 390-million tonnes, with grades ranging from 5.34% to 7.13% P2O5, near the Paul Zone, could be of significant benefit to its operations and deserved further investigative work.

The company released a feasibility study for Lac à Paul in October 2013, outlining an openpit operation with a mine life of 25.75 years and a yearly output of three-million tonnes, grading 38.6% P2O5 at an average mill recovery of 90%.

We trust farmers, new survey says: Mining not as understood – by Dylan Robertson (Saskatoon StarPhoenix – July 17, 2014)

July 18, 2014

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/index.html

Canadians love farmers, have split opinions on forestry and don’t understand mining, according to a survey of perceptions of resource industries.

“Western Canadian residents recognize the importance of resources to our economy; they broadly support continued growth of resource industries,” said Len Coad, who directs the Canada West Foundation’s Centre for Natural Resources Policy. “But they have some expectations where they feel a need for improvement.”

For a report published Friday, the foundation had Ipsos Reid survey 600 residents each from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario for their perceptions of four natural-resource sectors. “There’s been a growing awareness across the West in the past several years of the challenges of developing resources, of moving them to market and of meeting the expectations of the public,” said Coad, whose group will now dig down on policy suggestions.

The survey looked at perception, trust and willingness to advocate for the four sectors: energy, forestry, mining and agriculture. Responses were weighted by provincial population, while Ontario results were kept separate to compare attitudes with a region far less dependant on natural resources.

“Ontario was just for comparative purposes, and the range of answers was smaller than we had expected,” Coad said. “Ontario responses were mostly in-line with other provinces.”

Australia’s carbon reversal sets new tone for global climate talks – by Shawn McCarthy (Globe and Mail – July 18, 2014)

July 18, 2014

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

OTTAWA — Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s move to repeal his country’s carbon tax provides an international boost for the Harper government, which has regularly attacked opponents who propose putting a price on emissions in Canada.

Australia’s reversal on carbon pricing comes at a critical time, just two months prior to a United Nations climate summit to be hosted by secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, who is looking for countries to commit to post-2020 emission reductions and new policies to achieve those targets.

And it comes as Prime Minister Stephen Harper faces continued pressure to impose some form of carbon pricing in Canada, particularly in the booming oil sands where rising emissions threaten to swamp the government’s commitment to rein in carbon pollution.

Mr. Abbott visited Canada last month, and Mr. Harper commended him for ending the “job-killing carbon tax” as the Australian had pledged during last year’s general election in which he defeated the Labor Party-led coalition government. With their resource-based economies and relatively small populations occupying large land masses, Australia and Canada are among the world’s top per-capita emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Chinese arrest of former PetroChina Canadian chief casts shadow over Athabasca Oil projects – by Claudia Cattaneo (National Post – July 17, 2014)

July 18, 2014

The National Post is Canada’s second largest national paper.

CALGARY – In a move that adds uncertainty to PetroChina’s plans for Canada, Zhiming Li, the PetroChina executive who built and headed the Chinese company’s operations in this country for the past four years, has been arrested by the Chinese government.

According to a July 16 report in Caixin, a Beijing-based financial media news organization, Mr. Li “was taken in for questioning … directly at the airport” as he returned to China last month from Canada.

As reported in the Financial Post July 10, Mr. Li was unexpectedly replaced last month as CEO of Brion Energy Corp., as PetroChina’s subsidiary in Canada is known, by Shudong Chen.

Mr. Chen is still in China as he has not yet received a permit to work in Canada. The Chinese newspaper, which didn’t cite sources, said Yiwu Song, the deputy manager of overseas exploration and development at China National Petroleum Corp., was also taken away last week. The newspaper said the arrests follow a probe into Qiliang Bo, the former chief of PetroChina’s international business.

Mr. Li’s questioning links PetroChina’s Canadian operation to a corruption probe in China that has targeted the country’s top oil companies, has resulted in many arrests and is expected to slow down decisions.

Barrick Gold CEO Jamie Sokalsky steps down, replaced by co-presidents – by Lisa Wright (Toronto Star – July 17, 2014)

July 17, 2014

The Toronto Star has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

Management shakeup puts new board chairman John Thornton’s stamp on miner following recent departure of company founder Peter Munk.Management shakeup puts new board chairman John Thornton’s stamp on miner following recent departure of company founder Peter Munk

After two years spent overhauling ailing Barrick Gold Corp., president and CEO Jamie Sokalsky will step down in September as part of sweeping changes to the miner’s management structure.

The announcement Wednesday that two co-presidents will soon share the helm comes just 10 weeks after the departure of Barrick founder Peter Munk, and is clearly new board chairman John Thornton’s first big stamp on the leadership of the world’s biggest gold miner, analysts say.

“He was brought in to bring change, and he’s bringing change,” said John Ing, president of Maison Placements Canada.
Eliminating the role of CEO may also leave the door open for the resumption of merger talks with Newmont Mining Corp., Barrick’s biggest rival, said TD Securities mining analyst Greg Barnes in a note to clients.

Barrick shakeup signals more changes ahead – by Ian McGugan (Globe and Mail – July 17, 2014)

July 17, 2014

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

The unusual new management structure at Barrick Gold Corp. signals two things – that John Thornton is now clearly in command of the world’s largest gold miner, and that more changes lie ahead.

The company announced Wednesday that president and CEO Jamie Sokalsky will be resigning in September, after only two years in the post. He was a favourite of company founder Peter Munk and his departure suggests that Mr. Thornton, who was named chairman only three months ago, is eager to put his own stamp on the company.

The question is precisely what form that stamp will take. One possibility is that Barrick will attempt to reopen merger talks with Newmont Mining Corp. of Colorado. Discussions between the two mining giants blew up in April, with both sides slinging accusations at each other.

Another possibility is that Barrick will strike a deal in China, a country where Mr. Thornton has extensive contacts from his days as chairman of Goldman Sachs Asia and as a business professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Liberal paralysis leaves Ontario native band powerless – by Martin Reg Cohn (Toronto Star – July 17, 2014)

July 17, 2014

The Toronto Star has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

It’s a historic tale of politicians ducking for cover while their bureaucrats create new barriers. And a premier who lets them get away with it.

Ever since becoming premier, Kathleen Wynne has opened every speech with traditional aboriginal words of welcome: “Ahnee. Boojoo.” This month, she added a few key words in English — promising new “opportunities for aboriginal peoples” built on “respect and partnership.”

For all her talk of empowerment, however, real power — electrical and economic — remains out of reach for one of Ontario’s most forsaken native bands.

That’s because Wynne’s Liberals have quietly snuffed out a promising hydroelectric project, bankrolled by a Toronto philanthropist, that could generate clean power and economic opportunity for the isolated Lac La Croix reserve perched along the Minnesota border.

The story of the band’s plight, and promise, is a morality tale of cascading betrayals. Unless someone in the Wynne government finds the courage to rewrite the final chapter, it will have an unhappy ending.

Commentary: What does Aboriginal title mean for mining in BC? – by Robin Junger and Brent Ryan (Northern Miner – July 15, 2014)

July 17, 2014

The Northern Miner, first published in 1915, during the Cobalt Silver Rush, is considered Canada’s leading authority on the mining industry.

Based in Vancouver, Robin M. Junger is co-chair of McMillan LLP’s aborginal and environmental practices, and co-chair of its oil and gas practice in B.C. Brent Ryan is a student-at-law at McMillan.

The recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in Tsilhqot’in v. B.C. has received a great deal of attention and has caused people to ask some important questions. Nowhere has this been more so than in the mining sector. We will address some of those questions.

Does aboriginal title include mineral rights? The law is not completely settled on this point.

In Delgamuukw v B.C. in 1997, then Chief Justice Lamer, when explaining that the content of aboriginal title is not restricted to practices, customs and traditions which are integral to distinctive aboriginal cultures, stated:

122 The [Indian Oil and Gas Act] presumes that the aboriginal interest in reserve land includes mineral rights, a point which this Court unanimously accepted with respect to the Indian Act in Apsassin v. Canada (Department of Indian Affairs & Northern Development) in 1995. On the basis of Guerin, aboriginal title also encompass mineral rights, and lands held pursuant to aboriginal title should be capable of exploitation in the same way, which is certainly not a traditional use for those lands.

This was cited in a decision by the Yukon Court of Appeal in Ross River Dena Council v Yukon in 2012 (a duty to consult case, not a title case) where the court stated:

I refused to play the Conservatives’ fiscal game. So should Wynne – by Bob Rae (Globe and Mail – July 17, 2014)

July 17, 2014

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

Bob Rae was premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995

Critics on the right are now claiming that Kathleen Wynne’s Ontario government is on the road to fiscal rack and ruin – that it could, in one commentator’s words, push Ontario “back to the Bob Rae years.” That provokes these comments.

One would have thought that the experience of the last few years would have made the right wing narrative look pretty goofy but, no, these guys just can’t help themselves. In 1990, interest rates were kept deliberately high, the dollar rose predictably, U.S. companies shut factories in Canada as the newly minted free-trade agreement encouraged rationalization, and a bloated real estate market plummeted. All in one go, all at one time.

The shock to the Ontario economy was sharper and more severe than in 2009, and, as a direct result, public spending increased and revenues fell. This is what happened to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty in 2009. It would have happened in Ontario even if Mike Harris had been elected in 1990. Remember that Tory premiers Bill Davis and Frank Miller ran deficits after the 1980 recession as well.

So, to compare 1990-91 with 2014-15 is to ignore where we were in the cycle, and what governments since the 1930’s have done when faced with such a drastic drop in prosperity.