Symposium on Revenue Transparency, Resource Development, and the Challenge of Corruption

Revenue transparency and corruption in the mining industry have long been topics of national and international conversation. Mining plays an important role in the Canadian economy, contributing billions to Canada’s GDP. It is also the only domestic industry in which Canada plays an undisputed leading international role, having major operations in countries around the world. Unfortunately, there is also a dark side to mining. Historically, both in Canada and worldwide, very few local communities, Indigenous peoples, or developing and underdeveloped nations have benefitted from mining development. To the contrary, these communities have typically borne heavy costs associated with mining activities and reaped few long-term benefits. Further, mining in underdeveloped countries with poorly enforced governance and transparency laws presents multiple opportunities for corruption and social unrest. In response, ethically responsible and sustainable mining have become fundamental objectives for leading Canadian mining companies, mining associations, and governments. This symposium aimed to spark an international dialogue on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, its implementation, its effectiveness, and areas for improvement in promoting revenue transparency and mitigating corruption. As part of its ongoing “Ethics and Mining” related research, CBERN used the workshop to convene a series of meetings and public lectures to assess progress to date on meeting the challenges posed by corruption for resource extraction and to map a ‘next steps’ research agenda. Invited speakers and participants came from Canada, Africa, and the United Kingdom.