Sustainable mining to be discussed today at COP15 in Montreal, Wilkinson says

OTTAWA — Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says Canada is looking to commit to only bringing critical minerals into the country if they were mined in a way that is both environmentally sensitive and respectful of human rights.

Wilkinson will be at the COP15 nature talks in Montreal today where he will make an announcement on critical minerals, just three days after finally publishing the Liberals’ long-promised critical minerals strategy.

The strategy is focused only on domestic mining, and Wilkinson acknowledges it is silent on the sustainability of any raw materials mined elsewhere and brought to Canada for further processing or used in the manufacturing of batteries.

But he says he will have more to say about that issue in Montreal today.