PRESS RELEASE

The Future of Mining in Quebec:
Institut du Nouveau Monde to Host Major Public Conversation

MONTREAL, December 7, 2011 – In the coming months, the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) will be hosting a public conversation on the future of mining in Quebec. Thanks to the INM, Quebec citizens, stakeholder organizations and public policy makers will be able to receive information in an objective context, as well as openly share their viewpoints on the subject.

The mining industry is thriving across the world. Demand from emerging economies is growing, the value and prices of raw materials are rising, and currency fluctuations are reinforcing the role of gold as a safe haven for financial markets. In Quebec, the last weeks and months have seen a number of related public interventions from various sources, as well as a proposed revision of the Mining Act and announcements on the current and future development of Northern Quebec.

In this context of rapid development and sometimes clashing viewpoints, the INM deemed it relevant to organize a public conversation to affirmatively respond to the many requests made in the past few weeks by various actors in society and in different forums for a credible, neutral, and transparent collective dialogue open to all.[1] The INM has come to be known for its expertise with public conversations and citizen participation, and would like to contribute to enabling a collective and productive dialogue on this important and delicate issue for the population of Quebec.[2]

“Under the current circumstances, the population at large, ecological organizations, environmental groups, the mining industry, unions, professional associations, First Nations and Inuit peoples, as well as national, regional and municipal policy makers would all like for the matter of the future of the mining in Quebec to be addressed in a collective dialogue,” said Michel Venne, Executive Director of the INM. “Our role will be to offer objective and high-quality information and to host an open, transparent and constructive conversation for Quebec. Our wish is for this conversation to be a vehicle for exchanging information and contributing to the development of concrete solutions. A good number of organizations from diverse sectors and backgrounds have already shown their interest in the INM’s non-partisan approach, and more particularly the way in which it promotes the expression of authentic opinions and concerns among all parties involved.”

The approach

The Public Conversation on the Future of Mining in Quebec aims to objectively and impartially present to the general public the major stakes involved in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in Quebec, as well as offer citizens and various players an open forum for voicing their questions and concerns, in addition to potential solutions. The INM has contacted a number of individuals and organizations concerned by these issues to determine their openness and interest in participating in such an initiative, and its ideas have been positively received.

The main activities involved in this public conversation—notably a tour of seven Quebec cities—will take place in winter 2012. The INM plans to support the initiative in a variety of ways, including activities open to the general public and interested socio-economic actors, a discussion platform on a section of its website, video clips, and objective information documents.

To ensure the neutrality and independence of this public conversation, the INM will put together an Advisory Committee responsible for approving the orientations guiding its approach. It will be complemented by a Scientific Committee that will oversee the objectivity of the documentation produced. To ensure a balanced and varied composition, the Advisory Committee will be made up of representatives from a variety of interested sectors and organizations. The members of this Committee will also communicate information on the public conversation to their members, contacts and stakeholders to promote their participation in this major collective dialogue; contribute to the information and documents that the INM will distribute to participants at the public conversation; approve, develop and prioritize the knowledge and stakes of the future of mining in Quebec that will have been documented by the INM with a view to preparing the themes for the public conversation; and, at the end of the process, receive the factual summary that will have been produced and comment upon it.

Creation of the Advisory Committee has begun and will be pursued over the coming weeks. A number of individuals and organizations have already expressed their interest in participating in the committee. Among these are the Regroupement national des conseils régionaux de l'environnement du Québec (RNCREQ) and its Executive Director, Mr. Philippe Bourke, as well as the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) and its Policy Consultant – Regional Economic Development, responsible for Natural Resource matters, Mr. Jean-Philippe Boucher. Mr. Ugo Lapointe, Spokesperson for the Coalition pour que le Québec ait meilleure mine, and Mr. Christian Simard, Executive Director of Nature Québec, have both confirmed their openness and interest in this INM initiative that they see as interesting and necessary; they will thus be in attendance at the committee’s first meeting. The mining industry will also be represented on the committee by Mr. Jean-Marc Lulin, Geologist, President and CEO of Exploration Azimut, as well as Mr. Martin Bergeron, Vice President of Operations at Mines Aurizon. Mr. Sylvain Durocher, Chief Analyst at the Strategic Information Directorate at Investissement Québec, will also be present. The committee will soon be complemented by other members, consistent with the INM’s objective to establish a balanced and diversified committee.

The INM has inquired about the mining industry’s interest in tangibly participating in the project, given its role in this sector, its publicly stated desire for dialogue with local communities, and its will to lend an ear to the general population. The mining industry has shown openness to the INM's suggestion and has agreed to cover the costs of the initiative through its Minalliance organization.

In hosting this public conversation, the INM will freely apply its approaches and methods to guarantee a rigorous process enabling the expression of all viewpoints, free of any pressure or censorship. The INM will make the results known in an independent summary that will be released to the public.

The details and calendar of the Public Conversation on Mining in Quebec will be presented to the public at the official launch that will take place next January.

The Institut du Nouveau Monde

The INM is a non-partisan organization whose mission is to develop citizen participation and to renew ideas in Quebec. It undertakes its work with a view to social justice and inclusion, in respect for democratic values and in a spirit of openness and innovation. The INM's actions aim to encourage citizen participation and contribute to developing civic skills, reinforcing social ties, and promoting democratic institutions.

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Source: Institut du Nouveau Monde
Information:   Roch Bilodeau
1-855-347-7622

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