Politicians, geoscientists, prospectors, investors, suppliers and Indigenous partners are among attendees at major mining events in Vancouver this past week.
A delegation of Yukon government representatives in Vancouver includes Premier Ranj Pillai, Mines Minister John Streicker and Jeanie McLean, who is minister of Education and responsible for the women and gender office.
The Association for Mineral Exploration’s Roundup gathering is happening in Vancouver from Jan. 20 to Jan. 23. According to the Roundup website, the 2024 event drew more than 6,200 attendees. Major mining companies make up four per cent of exhibitors in the exhibit hall.
McLean is noted on the Roundup website as the first Indigenous woman to be deputy premier in the Yukon. Her panel revolves around community safety and “socio-economic reconciliation."
Streicker is partaking in a government-industry forum.
Pillai spoke at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference, another big mining event, about “unlocking the Yukon’s potential.”
On Jan. 22, the Council of Yukon First Nations posted to Facebook thanking the more than 200 people who attended its 11th Yukon First Nations night, organized with the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce, at Roundup.
The Yukon NDP is altogether boycotting Roundup in Vancouver.
Yukon NDP Leader Kate White typically attends, but not this year.
White said the caucus budget freeze didn't factor into her decision.
What has changed is the mining landscape in the Yukon, she said, following the heap leach facility disaster at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold Mine, coupled with the legacy of Minto Metals’ Minto Mine and Yukon Zinc’s Wolverine Mine.
“The reality is that there needs to be some really tough conversations. And I believe that those need to happen here in Yukon, and not so much at a promotional industry event,” White said.
Just over two months after the Yukon’s largest annual mining draw, the Yukon Geoscience Forum and Trade Show, the third party is calling for hard talks to be held in the Yukon about the industry’s future.
White, First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (FNNND) Chief Dawna Hope and retired mining analyst Lewis Rifkind will be holding a talk over videoconference on Jan. 23.
White said Yukoners who take part in the "short" virtual event will hear what FNNND has been asking for and the First Nation's vision, as well as Rifkind's perspective on where mining has come from and where he believes it should go from here.
White anticipates some people will participate from out of territory while attending Roundup.
FNNND refers to the Victoria Gold situation as a “crisis” and has been calling for the government to go beyond an independent review.
The Yukon New Democrats note in a Facebook post that the Yukon Party and the Liberals have held fundraisers around the mining conference.
This year, the Yukon Party held a fundraiser at a pub in Vancouver on Jan. 19 where Yukoners watched football playoffs and mingled, party president Melanie Brais said by email.
The Liberals have held fundraisers around this event in the past but aren’t doing any fundraising or holding fundraising events at Roundup 2025, according to an email on behalf of the party executive.
The travel expenses for ministers and their advisors to attend Roundup in January 2024 totalled more than $12,000.
The travel expenses for this year’s event are expected to be posted online within approximately 90 days of the trip, or after costs are confirmed, as is usual for ministerial travel expenses, according to the Executive Council Office.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com