so waeeess SWER TO MINE LOBBY ver ene ee The mining lobby in B.C., se aim is to block legislation h would bring the mining oplies under some form of lic control, has been npting to sell the public a of goods that most of the y in BC. is Canadian cently the Mining ociation of B.C. in a press ase presented a set of figures n attempt to justify its claim “85 percent of B.C.'s total g investment is controlled anada.’’ The old adage that ures don't lie, but liars re’ applies here with full ‘1965 the Trade Union earch Bureau of Vancouver ished a little pamphlet tled, ‘Who Owns B.C.?"’ The hapter on ‘‘Who Owns the lines?’’ throws some esting light on the extent of ownership, mainly U.S. Japanese. ders should bear in mind the pamphlet was produced ly four years ago, In that iod foreign domination has strengthened. Since that we have had the big Kaiser | deal, and numerous ese-U.S. takeovers, or gements under which es opened under Canadian ership’’ but with Japanese ital and under long term tracts to send the total duction of these mines to an. This has reached the t where about 40 percent of ir raw material mineral roduction last year went to ollowing is the chapter from ho Owns B.C.?” Much of British Columbia's ch heritage lies in mineral th. Coal and gold have been ined in the province for over a sntury. The world’s largest iver-lead-zinc property is ited in the East Kootenay ct. The copper mine at tannia ranked for many years | the largest producer in the tish Commonwealth, but has been superseded by larger properties such as hem and Craigmont. B.C. been an important producer f mercury, tungsten, jlybdenum, asbestos, gypsum, nh and other minerals. ecause of its vast power sources, B.C. is a major producer of aluminum. Mining is a highly speculative iness, in which properties ecome or cease to be mercial mines according to @ fluctuations in both the ore ipply and in the price of the . promotors, 4] ‘i linerals concerned, and in consequence, companies come and go presenting an ever- changing complex of corporations in the industry. Nevertheless, the profits earned in successful mines generate a hierarchy of capital which continues to dominate the industry. Thus, as has been shown already, the dominant capital in the industry today, that of the Canadian Pacific Railway, can be traced back in one direction to the mid-nineteenth century coal operations of Robert Dunsmuir, and in another to the twentieth’ century giant, the Sullivan Mine at Kimberley. Although the ores mined in British Columbia are the basic source of its mining capital, there is practically no local ownérship in this industry. It is true that succesful prospectors, stockbrokers and mining engineers participate in stock ownership. and hold directorships in the mines. But they do so as allies or agents of the main owners, and decisive control is held elsewhere. To put the matter in a nutshell, we may take eighteen companies which in 1963 were operating, producing mines. Fourteen of these include American representation on their boards of directors. Of the other four, C.M. & S. is controlled by C.P.R., dominated by British and American capital, and Brynnor is owned by the Eastern Canadian Noranda Company. Some companies, such as Granby, Reeves McDonald, Crow's Nest Pass, Anaconda and C.M. &S., are directly controlled from abroad. Others exhibit, in form at least, a partnership of local and foreign capital. A most interesting and complicated alliance that has developed in recent years in the Canex-Noranda complex in which U.S., Ontario and B.C, interests have become inextricably mingled. The basic capital involved here arose from profitable government subsidies to the Canadian Exploration Company’s tungsten operation at Salmo, B.C., and from various foreign operations of Canadian Exploration’s parent holding company, Placer Development Ltd. in Australia, Columbia, Brazil, New Guinea, etc. Placer Development is today owned by a partnership of U.S. interests with the Eastern Canada Noranda group. Noranda, a powerful Canadian group in its own right, is linked through Hollinger Consolidated Gold Mines with the Argus empire of E. P. Taylor, Canada’s No. 1 Tycoon. “NATO-VIRUS CENTRE FOR NEW WAR” PUBLIC MEETING Nigel Morgan, B.C. Leader Communist Party WED., FEB. 19, 8 P.M. AUUG HALL - 805 E. PENDER ene reign owners dominate .C.’s mining industry The main B.C. operations of this alliance are held through Canadian Explorations Ltd. and Noranda. Between them, these two companies hold a two thirds interest in the rich Craigmont Copper mine. Canadian Exploration also controls the Endako molybdenum property and Magnum Consolidated, which holds both copper and molybdenum properties. Noranda directly controls the Brynnor iron mine, with 10,000,000 tons of 52 percent iron ore, the Boss Mountain molybdenum mine, Torbrit Silver (at present inactive) and Yreka copper mine. In addition, Noranda controls Canada Wire & Cable, Northwood Mills Ltd. —a lumber and sawmill operation — Grandview Industries Ltd. and Western Copper Mills Ltd. JAPANESE INTERESTS Alongside the firmly established American and British interest in B.C, mining, there is growing up a strong Japanese influence. The Japanese Sumitomo Company owns approximately 40 percent of the gigantic Bethlehem Copper operation, and has contracted to buy all of its output for ten years. Sumitomo also holds a contract to buy 2,000,000 tons of iron concentrates from the U.S.- owned Jedway Iron Ore Company. Mitsui holds a four year contract to buy all of Cowichan Copper Company's output. Noranda has committed itself for seven years to sell the iron DUNDAS B-A (WALL & DUNDAS ST.) Complete Auto Repair and Service for All Makes Govdinment Certified Mechanic and SERVICE V. W. SPECIALIST Ph. 255-6828 IF CITY FOLKS TAKE -:) rg & ( THERE IS NO HARM... output from Brynnor to Japanese interests and C.M. & S. has a five year contract to ship its copper concentrates from Coast Copper to Japan. Craigmont also ships most of its copper output to Japan. Although no contract has been announced, it has been stated that Japanese interests are negotiating for the antimony output of Ace Mining Company when that company gets into production, probably in partnership with Bralorne- Pioneer Mines Ltd., another eastern-controlled outfit with U.S. participation. In summary, the main interests in B.C, mining are as follows: Anglo-U.S.: through C.M. &S., the largest single holding. U.S. direct ownership: Granby Mining Co.(Jedway, Phoenix), Granduc, Reeves Macdonald, Crow's Nest Pass Coal Co., Anaconda. U.S. alliance with Canadian capital; Highland-Bell Ltd., Sheep Creek Mines Ltd., Bralorne-Pioneer, Craigmont, Cassiar Asbestos, Placer Development and its subsidiaries, Viola-Mac Mines Ltd. Japanese: direct participation in Bethlehem, and _ purchase agreements with various other mines, Local capital: one or two relatively small companies, e.g. Cariboo Gold Quartz, Giant Mascot, Cowichan Copper. (.. PROPER PR ees)