March 2017 | Business View Magazine

52 53 The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada and personal roles; we act as a unified voice for their exploration and development projects with governments at the provincial, territorial, and national levels; we provide them with a mouthpiece that speaks to the media; we pro- vide networking opportunities; we provide the support that’s needed when a member is work- ing on an international basis –we help them connect with trade commissioners across the globe, so that they know how to interact and what ‘hot topics’ may be in the area in which they’re operating; and when a government agency or Member of Parliament wants some background information on a specific issue, we are very often the go-to group and first source of that information. So, our advocacy helps gov- ernments create an enabling environment from a regulatory perspective that permits responsi- ble exploration. It really boils down to commu- nication and collaboration.” Over the next several years, and largely as a result of Canada’s new federal government’s de- sire to transition to a low-carbon economy, Sha- fer sees a shift in the type of minerals mined in the country, with solid growth in the explora- tion of, what he calls, the “energy metals of the future” such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth metals. “That doesn’t mean we abandon base and precious metals,” he says, “because there is still a lot of less-developed parts of the world wishing to grow and improve their qualities of life. So the need for copper for transmis- sion of electricity, iron and steel for the con- struction of cities and towns, for example, are still going to be there and growing. But we’re adding a new component for the transition to a low-carbon environment.The metals that we are mining can make the modern style of life that everyone desires to have, a possibility.” Meanwhile, PDAC will continue its main mission which Shafer says is “supporting its members, both corporate and individual, to help discover and develop the mineral re- sources that they’re seeking either at home in Canada, or in other parts of the world.And doing it in a responsible manner, utilizing best practices to protect the environment,while interacting with the communities they’re work- ing with so that they are treated fairly and that a fair return is given to those who own those minerals.And that it’s all done in a fashion that works well with government.” Since Business View Magazine spoke to PDAC, last fall, the Association has inaugurat- ed its 36th President, Glenn Mullan. Mullan has been a PDAC member for over 40 years, serving on the Executive Committee, Awards Committee, CSR Committee, and the Gover- nance & Nominating Committee. Currently, he serves as President and CEO of Golden Valley Mines Ltd., where his main area of in- terest continues to be grassroots, early-stage exploration, primarily for base and precious metals, in Canada and abroad.