LETTERS TO THE EDITOR — Industry creates real wealth

Having worked as a miner, and later as a prospector for myself and for companies, I am dismayed at the devastation in Canada’s mining industry today.

I hear governments saying, “Let’s try to get away from this resource-based economy.” My question is, why should we?

We in Canada have prospered in large part for a century or more because of our great mineral resources.

In my opinion, we still have great mines to be found, and with the technology around today, all the industry is looking for is some encouragement, not discouragement through higher taxes and no incentives at both the federal and provincial levels of government.

I know metal prices go up and down. Prices are currently down but this is not the real reason mining companies are leaving to work south of the border, in Mexico and in South America.

Years ago, we had a 3-year, tax-free period for new mines coming into production, which was a great incentive for bringing in new mines and creating long-lasting employment. Recently, we had flow-through shares, which in the most part worked well and created a lot of employment. These are initiatives at which governments should be looking again now to revive a sagging industry.

The wealth is real wealth. We have a lot of it here in Canada and we need it. Let’s not allow our great resource industry to go south with the birds; the country desperately needs it now.

I am just one voice crying in the wilderness, but I am sure there are hundreds of thousands of mining and exploration people in Canada out of work who think along these lines.

Andy Horne

Sorrento, B.C.