As always thanks for digging that up Babjak!

"the TPP will enable is important for the mining industry to remain competitive on the global stage."

One of the biggest concerns we (fellow Canadians) should have regarding such trade agreements is Cui bono? (Who benefits ) ...is the agreement disproportionally beneficial to the Mining Company(ies) involved (who are more than likely Multinational Corporations) , or are they mutually beneficial to the citizens of Ontario (and other provinces) and Canada....

Specifically I would be concerned about the impact of any such trade agreements on blocking /limiting any Federal/Provinicial mandated beneficiation of ores prior to export, or alternatively on the blocking/limiting/reversing the Canadian imposition of export levies on non-beneficiated ores.

We all recognize that profits (and thus potential tax revenues) are more robust with the value added via beneficiation of ores. If an industry can import our raw ores and then process them in their own (or a third country) jurisdicition which has much cheaper labour costs (possibly lacking in, or non-compliant with, labour and environmental laws/regulations which may be substandard/less stringent), then we lose by remaining the hewers of wood and drawers of water .

Hopefully , our politicians are not so short-sighted (or beholden to higher masters) and will seek to develop a vision of the Ring of Fire as a vertically integrated economic machine , from ore extraction to manufactured product , driving the future of Ontario and Canada.

Cheers,

Luker

Ok, I'll step down from the podium now ;)