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Ontario Mining

Northern [Ontario] leaders unite through FONOM – by The Daily Press

The Daily Press is the newspaper of record for the city of Timmins.

Municipalities speaking ‘with one voice’ on provincial issues

Municipal leaders in Northern Ontario have formed a united front on provincial issues impacting their communities. Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) president Al Spacek, mayor of Kapuskasing, announced Thursday the organization is concerned with the impact legislation has had on the North.

“What do imposed Royalty Taxes on Diamonds, the Far North Act and the Caribou Conservation Plan have in common?” he asked. “The answer: They were based on limited consultation and little regard for the opinions of Northerners.

“In this provincial election year, it is important that the FONOM board speak with one voice on behalf of the citizens of Northeastern Ontario, and concerns about resource sharing and legislative policy development that affects the North should be voiced, so that they directly benefit the taxpayers of the North.”

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Clash of cultures blamed in Vale Inco strike – by Tony Van Alphen (Toronto Star – March 27, 2010)

Tony Van Alphen is a business reporter with the Toronto Star, which has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on Canada’s federal and provincial politics as well as shaping public opinion. This article was originally published March 27, 2010.

Mark Cutifani runs a gold mining company in South Africa now, long gone from Vale Inco in Canada where he had begun engaging workers and changing an adversarial climate that had defined labour relations for more than half a century.

That adversarial climate is back in a big way at the mining giant in Sudbury and Port Colborne, where more than 3,100 employees have remained off the job in an increasingly bitter 8 1/2-month strike.

The classic labour-management struggle threatens to set back labour relations for years and undermine the value of one of the richest mineral deposits in the world.

The United Steelworkers union says a clash of cultures is at the root of the dispute. It argues that Inco’s Brazilian owners want to instill a foreign brand of subservient labour relations here; run roughshod over existing workers’ rights and cut bonus pay at a time when the company is profitable. Vale Inco says the union’s statements smack of racism and the company rejects the idea that cultural differences have anything to do with the strike.

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[Vale Inco Miner’s Income] Where upper-class incomes are earned underground – by Tony Van Alphen (Toronto Star-May 18, 2008)

Tony Van Alphen is a business reporter with the Toronto Star, which has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on Canada’s federal and provincial politics as well as shaping public opinion. This article was originally published May 18, 2008.

SUDBURY– Jack (Coco) Simons could retire today with a good pension. But he’s having too much fun making a whole lot of money underground.

Riding the boom of all booms here, Simons collected about $152,000 in gross pay last year as a top-notch production miner at Vale Inco’s Coleman Mine in the northwest end of the city.

This year, Simons says he could crack the $165,000 mark with a little more overtime. “It would be foolish for me to quit now,” says the fit, 53-year-old Simons, relaxing on his couch after a 12-hour shift. “I love this. The money is just too good. It’s motivational. Why not go for it.”

Sudbury miners are making more money than ever because of soaring nickel prices and worldwide demand for the mineral, a key element in stainless steel and other alloys. Simons receives a base rate of $27.81 an hour but earns a great deal more because he’s a member of one of numerous elite crews that each extract thousands of tons of ore every week.

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Sudbury booms on soaring metal prices – by Tony Van Alphen (Toronto Star-May 18, 2008)

Tony Van Alphen is a business reporter with the Toronto Star, which has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on Canada’s federal and provincial politics as well as shaping public opinion. This article was originally published May 18, 2008.

“And everybody’s tickled, for it’s Saturday tonight”
– Stompin’ Tom Connors, “Sudbury Saturday Night”

GREATER SUDBURY – It feels like Christmas here every day. Everybody is in a rush. And everybody seems to have money to spend. Newcomer Rick Chessel got that holiday buzz when he tried to elbow his way from shop to shop at the New Sudbury Centre on a recent Saturday.

“It was just like the day before Christmas,” says the 51-year-old machinist. “It was shoulder to shoulder everywhere.”

Diners are spending more at the Tommy’s Not Here restaurant in the south end. At the SRO nightclub downtown, where the Eaton’s store once stood, the acronym really fits because it’s standing room only many nights.

“Everybody’s happy,” says miner Jack (Coco) Simons. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen this.” The “nickel capital of the world” hasn’t had a boom like this since Stompin’ Tom Connors began banging his feet and singing “Sudbury Saturday Night” at the Coulson Hotel in the 1960s.

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Grits would restore FedNor – by Mike Whitehouse (Sudbury Star – April 16, 2011)

The Sudbury Star, the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper. This article was published on April 16, 2011. mwhitehouse@thesudburystar.com

“This is one of the richest places on Earth, Northern Ontario, and it often has that feeling
that it’s not getting the benefit from all the wealth under the ground. …One the great things about Northern Ontario — you see it everywhere — this is a part of the world that has absolutely world-class expertise in mining technology, mining research and mining science. And we mustn’t lose that.” (Liberal Party Leader Michael Ignatieff – April 16, 2011)

Brian Blackborough only wanted to ask Michael Ignatieff one question. The long-haul trucker from Markstay, who pulled himself off the road months ago to care for his ailing wife in their home, wanted to know why he’s being punished for doing so.

As it stands, Canadians in his circumstance can qualify for Employment Insurance only if their spouse is likely to die within six months. And even then, the benefit is only paid for six weeks. That means Blackborough was forced to choose between his wife’s well-being and their income.

The question stuck with the Liberal leader for a number of reasons. Ignatieff’s mother died of Alzheimers and his father stayed home for eight years to care for her. It was a harrowing and traumatic experience he wishes on no one, he told a packed, partisan crowd at Friday’s town hall.

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Not another wimp out [Comparisons to Brazilian Takeover of Inco] – by Martin Goldfarb (Toronto Star-April 18, 2011)

The Toronto Star, which is the largest circulation newspaper in the country, has an enormous impact on Canada’s federal and provincial politics as well as shaping public opinion.

Martin Goldfarb is principal at Goldfarb Intelligence Marketing and was official Liberal party pollster from 1972 to 1984.

Inco is an example worth remembering. At one point Inco was
a global leader, dominating a mining category. It was the soul
of the city of Sudbury and added stature to Ontario. It produced
intellectual property in the mining industry that was second to
none and respected globally. It provided work to miners, engineers, lawyers, bankers and others. So much of this was lost. The intellectual property and pride that Inco brought to Canada,
Ontario and Sudbury are all but gone. What happened? Management ceased to lead. In so doing it became vulnerable to takeover. (Martin Goldfarb-April 18, 2011)

Australia said No to Singapore. Australia decided its stock exchange is not for sale. Now we in Canada are thinking about whether or not the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) should be taken over by the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

A country is more than a business. There are totems in our country that define our personality, help create our character and engender pride, independence and a sense of our own charisma. Some arise from our geography (the Rockies, the Arctic), some from our natural resources (oil, water, lumber, maple syrup) and some from government (national health care). All help give us a sense of who we are.

But there are other totems in Canada that are not a function of our geography, our geology or our government. These are institutions created by the citizens of our country in business and academia — our universities and our internationally recognized businesses, such as RIM today, and in the past, Inco and Falconbridge. Inco and Falconbridge have disappeared but should never have been allowed to do so. A dose of economic nationalism is good for our soul. In some circumstances, profit should be second to the national interest. National interests help define who we are.

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A War of Words or a War of Worlds: Brazilian Vale versus North American USWA – by Kim T. Morris (Part 3 of 3)

Kim Morris won third place in the 2011 Arthur W. Page Society and Institute for Public Relations case study competition – business school category.

Her case study entry was on the Vale Sudbury year long strike – A War of Words or a War of Worlds: Brazilian Vale versus North American USWA.  She  is a senior adviser of communications and public affairs at the North East Community Care Access Centre.

Discussion

Reputation

Public perception of Vale has changed dramatically since 2006. There is mistrust and suspicion surrounding the company’s motives and future plans for the Sudbury operations. Actions and decisions made during the 11 month strike have tarnished Vale’s reputation not only in the Sudbury area, but province-wide, and possibly internationally. Unions from across the world weighed in on the labor dispute. In January 2010, the trade magazine Metal Bulletin described Vale’s hard line as an attempt to break the union.

Reputation matters. Reputation impacts a wide variety of areas: consumer purchasing decisions, employee recruitment and retention, investment decisions, even how media covers your news [40]. From an outsider’s point of view, Vale does not seem very concerned with its reputation, choosing to place profits ahead of its people.

USWA Local 6500 also needs to rebuild and revamp its reputation. Given the lack of community support received during the strike, the actions of certain members, and the harsh and hateful words spoken during the dispute, the union has a long road ahead of it if it is to restore its reputation to where it was prior to the strike.

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A War of Words or a War of Worlds: Brazilian Vale versus North American USWA – by Kim T. Morris (Part 2 of 3)

Kim Morris won third place in the 2011 Arthur W. Page Society and Institute for Public Relations case study competition – business school category.

Her case study entry was on the Vale Sudbury year long strike – A War of Words or a War of Worlds: Brazilian Vale versus North American USWA.  She  is a senior adviser of communications and public affairs at the North East Community Care Access Centre.

USWA Local 6500

The executive of USWA Local 6500 anticipated difficult negotiations from the start. This was a new company and the negotiating team did not know what to expect. The only thing that was clear was that there would be no concessions on the part of the union.

Talks collapsed mere weeks after they began and the gloves came off shortly thereafter with both sides blaming the other for the impasse [23]. It was at this time that the USWA Local 6500 first alleged that the root cause of the problem was a lack of understanding by Vale’s Brazilian owners as to North American culture, along with a desire to trample workers’ rights and reduce their compensation package [23].

As the months wore on, the USWA Local 6500 web page featured alleged replacement workers, providing names and addresses as well as photos of the individuals. Anonymous members posted that there should be retaliation toward these so-called “scabs”. This resulted in a flurry of threats, assaults and damage to property throughout the community. In May 2010, Vale fired nine strikers for purported violations of its code of conduct on the picket line. There were also criminal charges laid against some of the nine strikers for other offences related to the strike. The matter is still before the Ontario Labor Relations Board and the courts.

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A War of Words or a War of Worlds: Brazilian Vale versus North American USWA – by Kim T. Morris (Part 1 of 3)

Kim Morris won third place in the 2011 Arthur W. Page Society and Institute for Public Relations case study competition – business school category.

Her case study entry was on the Vale Sudbury year long strike – A War of Words or a War of Worlds: Brazilian Vale versus North American USWA.  She  is a senior adviser of communications and public affairs at the North East Community Care Access Centre.

Final Case Study

Abstract

In July 2009, USWA Local 6500, the union representing the employees of Vale’s Sudbury operations went on strike. This was to become the longest and most acrimonious strike in Sudbury mining history. Both sides in the dispute were responsible for less than flattering behavior, including leaking of documents, bullying, making racist comments, and even criminal activity. The final result of this strike is a community that has lost respect for both organizations.

This case study offers an opportunity to study how actions taken during a strike impact on the reputation of both parties. It also highlights the communication breakdown between not only both parties but also with their key stakeholders.

Overview

“We are very happy with the results of the ratification vote. The agreement establishes a newworking relationship with our employees and the union and allows us to move forward with our long-term, sustainable growth plans. We look forward to returning to normal production andbuilding the future together with employees.”

Tito Martins, Vale’s Executive Director for Base Metals
Vale news release, July 9, 2010 [1]

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Aboriginal Owned Junior Miner in holding pattern – by Ian Ross

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business  provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North. This column was published in the April 2011 issue.

Bending Lake Iron examines site options for processing plant

An Aboriginally-owned mining company still has Atikokan in its sights for an iron ore processing plant despite delays in accessing a former open pit mine.

In mid-February, Bending Lake Iron Group president Henry Wetelainen was hopeful of signing a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) toward advancing their merchant pig iron project in northwestern Ontario.

He was expecting the agreement to be signed by Jan. 31, but nothing has happened yet when contacted in February.

The Thunder Bay company wants to mine iron ore near Ignace and process it into pig iron at the abandoned Steep Rock open pit mine near Atikokan.

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OMA member profile: Kirkland Lake Gold-new mines for old sites

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

 

Ontario Mining Association member Kirkland Lake Gold is expanding its precious metals production not just at a former mine site but on the foundations of its name sake gold mining community.  Kirkland Lake Gold, which has more than 600 employees, is involved in a $56 million-plus capital expenditure program to increase its gold production from 50,000 ounces per year to 200,000 ounces per year by 2012.

Kirkland Lake Gold from its South Mine Complex is building on the legacy of the ground mined by five of the seven former gold operations that made Kirkland Lake famous and produced more than 24 million ounces of gold.  This is the first time properties in the Kirkland Lake area have been consolidated with a single owner.

The new gold miner controls the five westernmost mine sites in the Kirkland Lake mile of gold.  From west to east, the mines are Macassa, Kirkland Minerals, Tech-Hughes, Lake Shore and Wright-Hargreaves.  The distance from Macassa to Wright-Hargreaves is about seven kilometres.  The Sylvanite Mine, which operated from 1927 to 1961 and the Toburn Mine, which operated from 1913 to 1953, lay to the east of Kirkland Lake Gold’s consolidated property.  

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OMA’s So You Think You Know Mining (SYTYKM) high school video contest entries double in 2011

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

 

The Ontario Mining Association’s high school video competition So You Think You Know Mining has attracted more than 80 high-quality entries for the 2011 edition of the contest.  The deadline was March 31 and the bulk of the two to three minute films were received within the 24-hour window before midnight that day. 

This is more than double the number of entries received in each of the first two years of the competition 2009 and 2010.  The geographic range of the source of these videos showing the benefits of mining through the eyes and talents of high school students greatly expanded.  Teenagers in Mississauga, Markham, Sudbury, London, Timmins, Toronto, Collingwood, Woodstock, Pickering, Terrace Bay, Thunder Bay, Georgetown, Stratford, Clinton, Kingston, Ottawa and other centres have electronically submitted their mining stories.  Ontario’s mining industry is a presence in all areas of the province and all regions of the province are represented by SYTYKM productions.

While the quantity of entries has increased, from a cursory viewing of a portion of the entries, the quality of these productions has also been greatly enhanced.  The judges this year are going to have a difficult time indentifying the winners in each category – Best Overall, Best Directing, Best Writing of an Original Screenplay, Best Music, Best Comedy, Best Animation, Best video in a language other than English and the People’s Choice Award.  The competition is fierce and a lot of talent and creativity is on display in these productions.

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Memo to Drummond and McGuinty: Consolidate Ontario Mining Programs at Laurentian University– by Stan Sudol

Laurentian University

Stan Sudol is a Toronto-based communications consultant who writes extensively on mining issues. stan.sudol@republicofmining.com

The Sudbury Basin itself, is the third most strategic and richest hardrock
mining centre in the world. The four combined mining clusters found in
Sudbury – mineral operations, education, research and supply and
services – are globally unique. (Stan Sudol-April 6, 2011)

Ontario’s mining industry is facing a perfect storm of skills shortages – mining engineers and geologists – at a time of severe provincial budget constraints. These fiscal problems will only diminish the mineral sector’s post-secondary education programs at a time when global economies are experiencing the most extraordinary demands for metal products in the history of mankind – a commodity super cycle.

According to the Mining Industry Human Resource Council’s (MiHR) 2010 Canadian Mining Industry Employment and Hiring Forecast report, under the baseline scenario the Canadian mining industry will need to hire 100,000 new workers by the end of 2020. This is the number of workers required to fill newly created positions and also to meet replacement demand as workers retire or leave the mining industry.

That forecast represents MiHR’s baseline scenario, if commodity prices perform better than expected (the expansionary scenario), the cumulative hiring requirements could reach nearly 135,000 workers by 2020.

Last month in a speech in Calgary, Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of Canada remarked, “Commodity markets are in the midst of a supercycle. …Rapid urbanization underpins this growth. Since 1990, the number of people living in cities in China and India has risen by nearly 500 million, the equivalent of housing the entire population of Canada 15 times over. …Even though history teaches that all booms are finite, this one could go on for some time.”

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OMA member Goldcorp makes safety message personal for employees

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

 

Ontario Mining Association member Goldcorp has produced a set of four safety videos for all employees that bring the importance of safety on the job closer to home – and the heart.  These videos were filmed at Goldcorp operations in Canada, the United States and Mexico and they are trilingual – English, French and Spanish.

They all emphasize the Goldcorp safety motto – “Safe Enough for Our families” — and they deal with each component of Goldcorp’s program Care, Think, Act.  “We want to instill a cultural change toward safety,” said Melanie Martin, video producer, Senior Executive Assistant and Regional Communications Leader at Goldcorp.  “We want to create a culture where people know they are all part of the same family and that we need to take care of each other.”

The safety message and commitment from senior Goldcorp management comes through loud and clear in the video package.  Steve Reid, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer says “Safety is complex and our ability to grow it should not be underestimated. This is not a television show, it is real Goldcorp people telling real Goldcorp stories.”

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OMA Meet the Miners event helps Queen’s Park focus on mineral industry benefits

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

 

A solid contingent of industry leaders, cabinet ministers, MPPs and public servants celebrated the role of the mineral sector at the Ontario Mining Association’s Meet the Miners event.  The event was rescheduled to March 28 at the Sutton Place Hotel after adjusting arrangements to make way for the provincial budget at the Legislature, which was delivered on March 29.

“Thank you for being here to help us celebrate the contributions Ontario’s mining industry makes to the society and economy of the province,” said Marc Boissonneault, Vice President Sudbury Operations for Xstrata Nickel and OMA Chairman.  “Mining remains a key sector to help us move to a greener and more productive society.”

Michael Gravelle Minister of Northern Development Mines and Forestry saluted the OMA for its role for more than 90 years in making a positive difference in the province.  “Ontario is a better place for the vision and innovation of the mining industry. The mining industry in Ontario not only has made it through challenging times recently but it has come out stronger than ever.”

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