Voices of VisionsPublications

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Voices of VisionsPublications

www.voicesofvisions.com

SUMMER 2016

Gold Bullion takespro-environment steps

David Suzuki:Geothermal: Tapping Earth’s abundant energy

Tackling bullying,one community at a time

Gold Bullion takespro-environment steps

David Suzuki:Geothermal: Tapping Earth’s abundant energy

Tackling bullying,one community at a time

in this issue4 Gold Bullion

6 Excalibur Bits and Steel

8 Fission Uranium

9 Tackling bullying, one community at a time

11 Medications can have side effects

13 Taking positive steps to manage his diabetes

14 Green Aquaculture Farms for Sustainable Development

16 A Guide for Addictions Professionals

18 Geothermal: Tapping Earth’s abundant energy

20 APTN’S 10th Annual Aboriginal Day Live

22 Focus Graphite

25 Osisko Gold Royalties

27 Richmont Mines

29 Alamos Gold: Building for the Long Term

Voices of Visions is distributed free, all right reserved. Contents and photographs may not be reprinted without written permission. The statements, opinions and points of view expressed in articles published in this publication are those of the authors. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material.

Summer 2016

Volume 15, Issue 15

Co-PublisherEditor-in-ChiefFrancois Beaudin

Office ManagerNora Campbell

GraphicsWayne Wahab

National Sales ManagersJohn Stevens Joe Burns

Contributing WritersElva KeipDavid SuzukiKrista Lamb Rory Butler Kathleen Kahlon

Circulation1-613-491-0406

Canadian Treatment Services:

www.ccsa.ca/Eng/KnowledgeCentre/OurDatabases/TreatmentServices/Pages/

default.aspx

Canadian Addictions

Organizations:

www.ccsa.ca/Eng/KnowledgeCentre/OurDatabases/AddictionsOrganizations/

Pages/default.aspx

Directory of the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Program (NNADAP):

www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/substan/ads/nnadap-pnlaada_dir-rep-eng.php

SUBSTANCEABUSE

CENTRES

Finding mineralization, proving a resourceand bringing a property into production is noeasy undertaking. Bringing an old miningproperty back to life has one advantage withthe history of mineralization however there isan inheritance in the form of environmentalleftovers that comes with. This bestows aresponsibility onto the incoming company toclean up any existing environmental hazards,an act of responsible corporate citizenship aswell as a community public service.

Property cleanup is often overshadowed byall the other activities taking place on theground. Investors are much more interestedin drill results, resource estimates andmargins. For a company like Gold Bullion,with a corporate mission to bring previousmine sites back to life, the very act of going into old sites is pro- environment by naturesince any inherited environmental hazardsencountered will be dealt with in a timelyfashion. Aside from job creation, increasedregional prosperity, economic growth andincreasing the tax base, environmentalstewardship also benefits the entirecommunity in a number of ways.

Gold Bullion management is out front inthis regard, going beyond a singular focus onmineralization potential by taking an allencompassing community basedenvironmental centric approach to ensurethe lands are taken care of during operationsbut also left better than ever once operationshave concluded.

There are numerous examples of this pro-active vision at the Granada Gold propertynear Rouyn Noranda in Quebec. Many of thepro-environment steps taken were notmandated by regulations but were carried outdue to the environmental commitment andforward thinking of management.

First, in 2012, 480,000 tonnes of historicwaste rock dump material was processedthen screened as a key component of thecompany’s Voluntary Rehab Initiative. Thescreened material was subsequently used tostabilize drill trails, which helped to minimizesoil damage. A portion of that same materialwas also used for improvements torecreational trails on the property to thebenefit of outdoor enthusiasts. At the sametime, some trails were relocated to improveaccess for locals pursuing outdoor leisureactivities.

Future plans for waste pile constructionwill also enhance recreational uses with Ms.Dominique Maltais; a Quebec basedCanadian Snow Board Olympian agreeing toassist in designing a slope for use as a wintersport-sliding centre at Granada.

Part of the ongoing process of site rehabconcerning historic waste rock and pondtailings resulted in donations to local charities.Repurposed aggregate was sold to localcontractors with the proceeds from sales thendonated. The Company also entered into athree-year program with a local snowmobileclub with plans to donate funds towards thedevelopment of a cohabitation mandate thatwill facilitate the use of mining lands and trailsfor their activities.

On a grander scale, the Company isplanning to leave a permanent legacylandmark at Granada to be constructed frombarren rock on-site. The original art workdesign has been reproduced and can be seenon the front cover of the magazine. Thispermanent art installation will stand the testof time and serve both as a monument andreminder of what once took place on themine site.

In addition, the Company set up a socialresponsibility committee and has held severalmeetings to date with the citizens nearest theproposed mine site. Access to Granada landswas also granted to the town at the request ofthe Municipality of Rouyn-Noranda tofacilitate their harvesting and transport oftimber located on the Crown land adjacent tothe Granada property.

The City of Rouyn-Noranda also logged thearea covered by the proposed miningcomplex. City workers removed the timberon behalf of the Company with sales proceedsused for community development initiativesas chosen by Town Council. The Companyalso provided the City of Rouyn LIDAR surveytechnical services at no charge as a positivecommunity relation’s gesture.

Local First Nation ‘s relationships areextremely important to the Company. GoldBullion and Timiskaming First Nations havealready entered into the second stage of theirmutually beneficial relationship with thesigning of a Memorandum of Understandingrelated to the Granada Gold Project. Thelonger-term goal is to enhance economicdevelopment potential for members in theform of jobs, training and businessopportunities associated with the plannedgold mining, which is projected to last up toten years, possibly longer. Back in 2013when the Company still controlled the CastleSilver mine, management issued options tothe Matachewan First Nations to purchase50,000 common shares in the capital of theCompany to foster a positive workingrelationship.

The concept that a mining company couldactually be a positive force for theenvironment would seem to be at odds withprevailing attitudes yet company managementhas already demonstrated that this can be thecase. Gold Bullion Development Corp. isclearly out front in consideration of the long-term positive consequences of working withthe local Community and First Nations inpursuit of solutions that honour legacies butalso safeguards the environment now and forgenerations to come.

4

Excalibur Bits and Steel is in the businessto empower entrepreneurs with FirstNation/Metis/Inuit decedent whom want tobuild a strong grass root small business andwe provide all the resources and informationto succeed.

If you have a mining company setting up onyour land or have an existing one then youcan rest assure as a Metis Nation Businessmodel recognized by mining communityacross Canada we are the perfect choice.

As the new owner/s of Excalibur Bits andSteel in your area you will have completetraining and ongoing support to succeed.Your Excalibur shop will be defined as a keyplayer to the success of your peoples and thewell being of the mine. Its economicdevelopment and impact will lead toprosperous energies withing yourcommunity.

Don't wait and loose out send me an emailor simply call to make a appointment to see ifyou qualify and ready to make a differencewithin your community.

Bits, Steel, DTH Hammers and Bits, screenof all sizes and shape, Diamond Drill bits androds, blast pipe of all sizes and threaded,punch lock and clamps, water and air linebraided and wire braided and so much more.

Gerry LafontainePresident, Excalibur Bits and Steel31 Duncan Ave. North Kikland Lake Ontario P2N 1H3cell# 1-705-626-7909gerry@excaliburbitsandsteel.ca

METIS VOYAGEURDEVELOPMENT FUND

recipient.

ExcaliburBits and Steel

excaliburbitsandsteel.ca

6

7

Gerry Lafontaine705.626.7909

Gerry Lafontaine705.626.7909

The push for more clean energy isunderway. Yes, the world is still burning coal,oil and gas and creating enormous pollutionas it does so. However, countries are alsoharnessing the wind, the sun and the oceanon an increasingly large scale to generate theenergy we need. There’s one other form ofclean energy that’s growing. It’s a form thatgenerates more power than all of the othersput together and that’s nuclear energy. Unlikethe other clean energy generators, nuclearhas the capability to meet base-load powerrequirements, has a low operating cost andis fueled by something that Canada has a lotof… uranium. Canada is the world’s secondlargest uranium producer and, in theprovince of Saskatchewan, you will find therichest uranium deposits on earth. You don’tneed much of it to run a nuclear reactor. Infact, just one uranium pellet, which is notmuch larger than a dime, generates the sameamount of energy as 2000 lbs of coal or threebarrels of oil.

So it’s not surprising that there is a nuclearreactor construction boom underway.Currently, there are 440 operable reactorsaround the world. At time of writing, 65 newreactors are already under construction, 173more have been ordered or are planned andan additional 337 have been proposed.Today’s nuclear energy sector is growing andit’s growing fast. The same can’t be said foruranium production. While countries aroundthe world are building new reactors, uraniumproducers are shutting down (such asCameco’s Rabbit Lake mine) or reducingtheir operations and exploration for newuranium deposits has almost ceased entirely.The reason? Low uranium prices. They are solow that some producers cannot makeenough to break even and so production andexploration is has slowed dramatically. Thissituation isn’t going to last.

The fundamentals of supply and demandmean that at some point there’ll be more

power companies trying to buy uranium thanthere is actual uranium available. Exactlywhen that will occur is up for debate butgeneral consensus amongst industry expertspoints to between 2017 and 2020. Prices willrise and suddenly producers will bescrambling to increase production levels. Forthat, we’re going to need new uraniumdeposits that can be turned into new mines.Finding economic uranium deposits – thosethat will in time become mines – is one of thehardest tasks in the resource explorationindustry. It may surprise you to know thaturanium is actually one of the most abundantelements in the earth’s crust. However, mosturanium deposits are so low grade it’suneconomic to extract them. Once you dosucceed in finding an economic deposit,you’re looking at a very long road before youcan turn it into a mine, due to one of thetoughest permitting regimes in the miningindustry. With an estimated ten years fromdiscovery to production, uranium producerswon’t have time to find new deposits to meetincreasing demand - they will have to scoopup those that have already been discovered.

Laying the Foundations for Clean, Low-CostEnergy.

When that happens, there’s a good chanceit will be in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basinregion, where a discovery in 2012 by award-winning Canadian exploration company,Fission Uranium, has resulted in the firsthigh-grade uranium resource in Canada thatis near surface and hosted in bedrock – theTriple R deposit. In three years of drillingand with a Preliminary Economic Assessment(PEA) report highlighting the potential forlow-cost production, this shallow-depthuranium deposit has become the jewel of theuranium sector. The discovery has resulted inan ongoing exploration boom that injectednew life and energy into the local economy. Inrecent years, tens of $millions have beenspent in the region, which in turn has created

a level of demand for staff and services thathasn’t been seen in the region for nearly 40years – when the first major discoveries werebeing made in the Basin. As one of the mostactive exploration company in the region,community support and development areimportant aspects of how Fission operatesand the company’s management andtechnical team have strong ties with the localcommunity that stretch back as much as 30years. During the drilling seasons, thecompany directly and indirectly throughcontractors can employ over 80 skilledworkers from the northern region– fromgeology technicians and drillers tocarpenters, truckers and security. Themajority have been hired from the localcommunity of La Loche.

Thanks to Fission’s success, there aremany other exploration companies nowactive in the area and another majordiscovery has been made close to Fission’sPLS project, which has led to furtheremployment for the community. Fission’s onsite base of operations – Big Bear Camp - isthe largest camp in the south west area of theBasin. It’s run by members of the River DeneNation and much of the camp’s equipment,not to mention all of the team housing, isproviding by companies from the localcommunity. Employment isn’t the only areaFission continues to deliver on. The companyalso sponsors educational programs for localyouths and local sports teams.

Soon, the company will begin a newexploration program in aimed at making newdiscoveries and continuing to grow the TripleR deposit. The company has identified anumber of high-priority prospects at PLS andthe steady flow of positive drill results everyyear since discovery shows that it’s still earlydays at PLS. That’s a good thing for theuranium industry, for Fission and for thelocal community.

8

Name calling. Threats. Punching.Excluding. Many individuals – adults andchildren – endure these types of bullying ona daily basis. Bullying isn’t a short-termproblem that children deal with in school andgrow out of; it is a serious issue that affects 75per cent of Canadians. The problem isparticularly serious in many Indigenouscommunities, where 95 per cent ofindividuals have been affected by bullying.Bullying can have harmful, long-termconsequences for those involved. Theproblem is especially common in Canada,which has bullying rates higher than two-thirds of countries in OECD (Organization forEconomic Co-operation and Development).

One of the reasons bullying is so hard toprevent is that it is a complex issue.Individuals of all ages and backgrounds areboth victims and perpetrators of bullying.“Bullying is one of the ways people act outwhen they are trying to release some of theharm that’s inside of them,” says SarahBurke, senior manager of CommunityIntegrated Development with the CanadianRed Cross. “It’s a common problem amongboth adults and children.”

Everyone involved in bullying – from theperson bullying to the person being bullied tothose who witness it – is affected in variousways. According to PREVNet.ca, children whoare bullied suffer from more headaches,stomach aches, depression and anxiety thantheir peers. The mental health problemsassociated with bullying often carry throughto adulthood. Children who bully and arebullied are also at a higher risk of suicide.Bystanders, particularly children, are affectedas well; bullying teaches aggression and thenegative use of power.

The effects of bullying go beyond healthissues. According to the Canadian Red Cross,children who are bullied often miss school,

lose interest in school activities and producelower-quality schoolwork. In extremesituations, students drop out of school toavoid bullying. This creates enormous long-term problems as it impacts an individual’sability to get an education, as well as his orher life-long employment prospects.

It’s important to remember that bullyingisn’t limited to the school yard, it can alsohappen in the workplace, at home orelsewhere in public. Studies have shown thatwithout intervention such as an adult or apeer stepping in to stop the bullying takenplace, children who bully often continue tobe bullies as adults. This is one of the reasonsongoing bullying prevention is soimportant—bullying does not end inchildhood. Forty per cent of workers inCanada report being bullied on a weeklybasis.

There are numerous types of bullyingprevention programs available. The limit withmany of these programs is that they haveshort-term effectiveness. According to SarahBurke, “while participants are motivated andexcited [after the workshop], three monthslater they aren’t sure how to embed it in theircommunity.” Without developing a plan and

carrying it out, workshops can only haveshort-term benefits. This is particularly truein bullying prevention programs withchildren. Children learn by repeatingbehaviour, so a one-time workshop can havelimited successes.

In many communities, bullying has wide-spread, negative effects on numerousindividuals. To address this, the CanadianRed Cross has been conducting a community-engagement program called “Ten Steps toCreating Safe Environments”. The process isa long-term effort between the Red Cross anda community, and generally takes five to eightyears to complete. While this may seem like along timeline, the process aims at addressingthe roots of bullying to create changethroughout the community as a whole.

The Canadian Red Cross has had a lot ofsuccess with this process in Indigenouscommunities, particularly in Nunavut. TheNunavut government committed to reducingbullying and violence four years ago, and theTen Steps process has been an important partof this. Sarah Burke has been working inNunavut and notes that they have seen verypositive results. The Red Cross works inpartnership with the community throughout

Tackling bullying, one

community at a time

9

the entire process, providing coaching andmentoring along the way.

The process looks different in everycommunity. As Sarah puts it, “Everycommunity has a different story and differentstrengths and a different impact of harm. It’simportant that we talk about this.” In order toensure the process will benefit the entirecommunity, it is essential to have wide-spreadinvolvement. This means getting variousleadership members of the community –from elders to youth – together to discuss theissues they are facing. With the Ten Steps, onesize doesn’t fit all.

“We’ve developed a holistic approach inIndigenous communities,” says Sarah. TheTen Steps process does not only addressbullying, it looks at all forms of violence thatmight be present in a community. Many typesof violence are closely linked; a childexperiencing violence at home might bullyclassmates at school. The process helps the

community investigate the areas of violencethat are most urgent there, and address themwithin the framework of their own cultureand traditions. Education and trainingprograms from the Red Cross, developedboth in Canada and internationally, assist thecommunity in building long-term solutions.

Bullying is a complex problem, one thatcannot be solved by a one-time workshop. TheRed Cross’ “Ten Steps to Safe Environments”process guides and supports the community toexamine the types of violence that affect it andhow to best address these.

Violence is a cycle. A child who is bullied athome may bully others at school and maygrow up to bully his or her own family. Thisneeds to be addressed as part of the cycle forprevention to be truly effective. Making along-term commitment to creating a safeenvironment in a community will benefit notonly current members, but future generationsas well.

The Ten Steps1 Understand the problem2 Recognize people’s

vulnerability and resilience3 Define protection

instruments4 Create a prevention team5 Complete a risk

assessment6 Develop policies and

procedures7 Educate adults, youth and

children8 Respond to disclosures of

violence9 Meet the challenges10 Maintain safe environments

10

The mental health system is addicted toprescription medication, says Rory Butler,Founder of Your Life Counts.

Mental disorder or emotional distress?Without diminishing the valuable

contributions of psychiatry and mentalhealth, there’s a bias in our mental healthsystem to diagnose and treat every individualfor a mental disorder when, in fact, somepeople are experiencing temporary acuteemotional distress, a normal response tofeeling overwhelmed.

Life can hit us with curve balls. And this iswhere we`ve lost the plot. Situational suicidehappens. The health system is predicated tomedicalizing in some ways what it is to behuman and to learn to cope with themountain and valley experiences of life. Thisis not in any way to minimalize the gravity ofthe situation that faces us with suicide.Suicide is to the suicidal individual as lethalas a terminal illness. If you don`t agree, trychallenging anyone who has lost a loved oneto suicide on this.

Physicians are taught that their mission isto help patients get well. They function withina system that promotes pharmaceuticalmedication as the automatically preferredtreatment. Unfortunately, the very interventionintended to help patients get well sometimeshas the opposite effect. Some medicationsproduce side effects worse than the

symptoms they are meant to treat. Further,some may cause suicidal ideation and sinceCanada loses more than 4,000 people a yearto suicide we must be concerned. And all themore so with our First Nations Peoples wheresuicide rates are at least 6 times the nationalaverage and, in some of the more fragile andremote areas, the incidence of suicide is offthe charts.

Butler laments that he wants to do so muchmore in collaboration with the First NationPeoples. YLC has been limited by lack offunding and stonewalling by those who

should know better. `We have acceptedinvitations to speak on several Reserves andthe requests for help from us areoverwhelming. We need to change thingsquickly. Our organization has always beeninclusive and there`s a big part of me andYour Life Counts that needs to be responsiblyfunded so that we can get on with thedesperately urgent task of saving lives.`

In his book Toxic Psychiatry, Dr. Peter R.Breggin, a world leading Harvard trainedpsychiatrist described as “the conscience ofAmerican psychiatry,” warns that “drugs arespreading an epidemic of long-term braindamage; mental ‘illnesses’ likeschizophrenia, depression, and anxietydisorder have never been proven to begenetic or even physical in origin, but areunder the jurisdiction of medical doctors;millions of schoolchildren, housewives,elderly people, and others are labeled withmedical diagnoses and treated withauthoritarian interventions, rather than beinggently listened to, understood, and helped.”

Currently in Ontario, individuals, andparticularly youth, can wait up to a year ormore to be listened to, understood, andhelped by a counselor. For the person havingregular thoughts of suicide due to emotionaldistress, accessing a counselor can be morethan a lifetime away. The wait time can build

Medications can have side effects

worse than the illness they treat.

Rory Butler

11

unreasonable expectation to the extent thatwhen the individual meets with the counselorand that meeting, for whatever reason, fallsshort of expectations, the individual will oftenfeel `if that`s all the system can do to help me,I`m out…`

The prescription pad has its place whenused appropriately to treat true mentaldisorders. However, an over-dependence inour mental-health system on pharmaceuticalmedication is dangerous, especially in caseswhere the problem is emotional distress. Themental-health system is, itself, addicted toprescription medication.

So, what must we do?Emphasis needs to be placed on listening

to patients’ problems. Practitioners need tobe trained in understanding the role ofempathy and recognizing that not everypatient is experiencing a “mental disorder.”We need a more nuanced approach that givesequal attention to emotional distress andtreats it appropriately. I have yet to hear of aprescription medication that can heal abroken heart.

Patients need to be encouraged to alwayseducate themselves on the known side effectsof their medications and to not be shy ofseeking medical help if they suspect theirmeds are causing severe mood swings,causing compulsion to self harm or harmothers or, among other things, mostimportantly, thoughts of suicide.

We need to reconnect people with theirReasons to Live. It takes just one reason tokeep someone alive. To steady them. To get

them through their moments of crisis. Wellknown comedian and game show host HowieMandel has recently given a powerful call toaction for YLC`s global initiativewww.sharereasons2live.com Please visit,

share, donate and get involved. The only wayto turn things around is to get involved. Don`twait for others. Life is too short. The needsare too great.

Remember the old saying: “A problemshared is a problem halved.” It’s actuallytrue. In my journey with my organization Ihave heard numerous stories from youth andfamilies of how they have not been listened to— really, really listened to as they have beenswept along in the system.

When I was 17, I visited my doctor becauseI was feeling low due to seasonal hay fever. Awise old owl, he wrote a prescription, agreedI was a little depressed, and sent me on myway with a slap on the back and wishing me“good luck.” I thought he had prescribedsome medication. However, when I openedthe prescription it read: “Friday night, 7 p.m.,Church Road, Hockey Practice. Speak to myson Greg.” I did. Hockey became a reason tolive and helped me find purpose value andmeaning.

Rory Butler is Founder of Your Life Counts!International Inc – a multi award winningcharity founded in 2000 CRA number135891257RR0001 rbutler @yourlifecounts.org

Visit www.yourlifecounts.org andwww.sharereasons2live.com

This article is updated from an originalarticle written by Rory Butler and publishedby the Toronto Star on June 12, 2012.

37

Working with First Nations to buildhomes and opportunityfor everyone.

Wayne Browne-mail:wayne@bigfoot-mfg.comPh: 250-835-8885www.bigfootloghomes.com

“I applaud the entire YourLife Counts team for bringingthe issues and devastation ofsuicide to the forefront ofpublic discussion…the workbeing done by Your LifeCounts is nothing short ofamazing. It is organizationssuch as YLC that will changethe way we see and speak ofsuicide and suicideprevention…thanks again tothe entire Your Life Countsteam for showing leadershipin efforts to prevent suicideacross Canada and I offer myencouragement and supportto you all.”

Louise Bradley, President & COO,The Mental Health Commission of Canada.

12

“I was getting up four or five times everynight to go to the bathroom,” says Dwayne“Bubba” Vermette of Lethbridge, Alta. “I justcouldn’t quench my thirst.” Plus, every timehe bumped his arm or leg against a hardsurface, he was in pain. These are all signsand symptoms of diabetes, but the 41-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta., ignored them.

That is, until his father-in-law told him toget checked after watching Bubba down a jugof iced tea at a restaurant. In 2007, Bubbawas not only diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,but he was told that he’d also need insulin tomanage his blood glucose (sugar) levels.

Trying to manage the disease led todepression. Bubba gained weight until he wasover 300 pounds. It wasn’t until he ended upin the hospital after a serious car accidentthat he realized that if he didn’t make somechanges, he says, “I wasn’t going to continuebeing on earth for very long.”

With the help of his wife, Erin, whosesupport, he says, has been invaluable, Bubbabegan to make healthy changes. He changedhis diet to include healthier foods, startedwalking, and joined a weight loss program. Ina year and a half, he lost 75 pounds, and hesaw a huge improvement in his blood sugarand blood cholesterol levels.

Dr. Jan Hux, chief science officer for theCanadian Diabetes Association, says, “Youdon’t have to get back to your Grade 12weight. Even a slight weight loss lowers yourrisk of developing type 2 diabetes.”

Bubba walks five kilometres a day, and forthe past three years, he has walked 100

kilometres to raise money and awareness forthe CDA. “Everyone knows about diabetes,”he says, “but a lot of people don’t fullyunderstand how serious it can be.”

Bubba is one of more than ten millionCanadians living with diabetes or prediabetes.However, early detection and prevention canmake a difference to people’s health andquality of life. The CDA wants to share thismessage with Canadians living withundiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes andencourage them to complete the CANRISKdiabetes test to find out their level of risk.

More information on diabetes, includinghow to take the CANRISK diabetes test, isavailable online at canrisk.diabetes.ca.

With files from Gabrielle Bauer

13

Taking positive steps

to manage his diabetes

There are many signsand symptoms that canindicate diabetes.

Signs and symptoms can includethe following:

• Unusual thirst• Frequent urination• Weight change (gain or loss)• Extreme fatigue or lack of energy• Blurred vision• Frequent or recurring infections• Cuts and bruises that are slow

to heal• Tingling or numbness in the

hands or feet• Trouble getting or maintaining

an erection

If you have any of these symptoms,it is important to contact yourhealth-care provider right away.Even if you don’t have symptoms, ifyou are 40 or older, you should stillget checked.It is important to recognize,however, that many people whohave type 2 diabetes may displayno symptoms.

AgriMarine Technologies Inc. (ATI)designs technology systems to produce fish in a sustainable environment. ATI is a leading aquaculture and watertechnologies expert with a long history of strong and positive relationships withFirst Nations.

We have been in the business of fishfarming for almost three decades inBritish Columbia. Working with variousNations, we have learned thatrelationships are based upon respect foraboriginal history and culture, whileworking together to further mutual socio-economic interests andenvironmental protection.

ATI designs superior turnkey projects foraquaculture farms that are: • Scalable, affordable and commercially

viable• Can be replicated in various First Nation

territories • Produce sustainable, ecologically

responsible aquaculture products that command a premium in the marketplace

The technology has the potential toincrease employment in First Nationscommunities across Canada.

We have worked in consultation with FirstNations on a variety of projects, and haveestablished relationships with many bands,such as the Tla’amin and Shishalh FirstNations on the Sunshine Coast, where manyband members work at our West CoastFishculture processing plant.

Floating Fish Farming Systems

Fish farming can be a challenging industryas farms are always exposed to the external,surrounding environment. ATI designed itsproprietary AgriMarine System™ tanktechnology to enable farmers to have bettercontrol of the rearing environment. Semi-closed tanks that float on fresh and seawaterbodies have many advantages and are wellsuited for a variety of fish, especially salmonspecies.

Semi-closed tanks offer the same benefitsas land-based tanks in that tanks offer a solidbarrier between the farmed fish and the wild,protect against predators, prevent fishescapes, mitigate diseases, and limitexposure to sea lice, algal blooms and lowoxygen events.

Coastal regions as well as fresh waterbodies are ideal for establishing this Cleanand Sustainable technology.

In addition to circular floating tanks, ATIhas also designed Floating RacewayTechnology (FRT), which offers similarfeatures as the AgriMarine System™ tanks,and is ideally suited for fresh water bodiessuch as sheltered inlets, lakes, rivers, andman-made ponds and rehabilitated gravelpits.

Land-Based Farming

Another viable option that is available forFirst Nations is land-based farming. This typeof fish farming is becoming increasingly

Green AquacultureFarms for

Sustainable Development

AgriMarine System™ Tank before and after

Floating Fish Farming Tanks

14

appealing as profitable businesses that can beestablished in remote communities, wherewater access is restricted or where localmarket demand calls for land-based farmedproducts.

Land-based systems are gaining sociallicense to operate due to their environmentalperformance.

ATI has created a specific design for land-based fish farms that is scalable and flexible.Farms can range from small projects to large-scale operations, and can be adapted to localconditions, locations and market demandsfor fish products.

Benefits of both Floating and Land-based Systems

Rears healthier crops Fish are sold in the marketplace as an

antibiotic and chemical free premiumproduct, raised in a healthy andenvironmentally sound environment. Increases crop turnover

Fish can have significantly faster growthrates than traditional farming methodsbecause of the controlled environment,which can be monitored and maintained.

Useful for a variety of fish species While ATI brings vast experience as the

largest producer of Steelhead trout in BritishColumbia, our systems may be used to growmany species of fresh and saltwater fish.

Steelhead or Rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss) are an excellent fishspecies for cooler climates and have fastgrowth cycles with excellent food conversionratios. Salmonids do require pristine waterquality, achieved by moderating the watertemperature in the tanks and by injectingpure oxygen so the fish have a stress-free,clean and healthy environment to grow.

Contributes to job creation All three sustainable systems can produce

fish throughout the year and farms can belocated in remote communities or near

urban markets, enabling farmers to ship theirproducts across Canada and to internationalmarkets in the US and Asia.

Farm operations not only create stable jobsat the farm level, but they have the potential toexpand into processing plants and otherrelated industries, benefitting thecommunities at large. Aquaculture is a fieldthat will only grow in the future.

Conclusion:

Scalable, Affordable Fish FarmsIn summary, ATI designs superior turnkey

projects for sustainable fish farming that are:

• Scalable, and commercially viable• Can be replicated in various First Nation

territories • Produce radically lower “cost footprint”

to earlier generation technologies• Provide job creation in the farm, potential

expansion into a processing plant, multiplier effect in the communities

We encourage First Nations to inquireabout our technology solutions and services.

Learn more atwww.agrimarinetechnologies.comOr call us at 1-844-941-3099

15

Substance abuse is found in communitiesacross Canada and, while they are noexception, First Nations communities comewith their own unique circumstances andneeds. Because of this, counselling andtreatment cannot take a one-size-fits-allapproach.

It was for this very reason that the CanadianCentre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) joinedforces with the National Native AddictionsPartnership Foundation (NNAPF) to broadlyconsult and create a First Nations guide tosupport the addictions workforce whenworking with First Nations clients.

Designed by the First Nations communityfor the First Nations community, the TechnicalCompetencies Guide to Working with FirstNations Clients was published early in 2015.It is designed to be used in conjunction withthe Technical Competencies Report,published in 2014.

The guide stands as a complement to thefull resource, Competencies for Canada’sSubstance Abuse Workforce, available on theCCSA website (www.ccsa.ca).

“During focus groups to validate thecontent and tone of the draft technicalcompetencies, we received feedback that‘These are great, but you’re missing someelements that really matter to First Nationsclients,’” explains project lead Elva Keip. “Wetook that feedback to heart and it became ourmotivation to produce the First Nationsguide.”

Michael Martin, NNAPF research manager,elaborates: “Feedback from First Nations

partners indicated that the existingcompetencies were not inclusive enough, didnot acknowledge the additional traumasexperienced by many First Nations people,did not incorporate the mental wellnessapproach that is integral to First Nations, anddid not reflect cultural principles derivedfrom Indigenous knowledge.”

NNAPF was willing to help resolve theissue, drawing upon two of its resources,Honouring Our Strengths: A RenewedFramework to Address Substance AbuseIssues among First Nations People in Canada(HOS) and Indicators to Assess CulturalCompetencies along HOS Renewal SystemElements, to apply culturally relevantknowledge.

NNAPF provided additional descriptionsfor some of the competencies and createdrelevant behaviour indicators where needed(see diagram) to correlate with anIndigenous person’s lifelong journey tobalance body, mind and spirit with self-esteem, personal dignity and cultural identity.

Complementary to the First Nations guide,CCSA has produced BehaviouralCompetencies as well as TechnicalCompetencies and related tools to help thesubstance abuse workforce support clientsmore effectively.

In simple terms, Technical Competenciesare the “what” requirements to successfullyperform one’s job; they include specificfunctions such as “counselling” and aresometimes known as “hard” skills.Behavioural Competencies are the “how” of

performing a job and are sometimes knownas “soft” skills. Interpersonal rapport/savvy isone example of a Behavioural Competency.Each competency has four levels ofproficiency, from introductory to advanced,making these resources applicable at anystage of one’s career.

“The overall goal is to increase the qualityand consistency of care that Canadiansreceive when they have substance useissues,” emphasized Ms. Keip.

The Technical Competencies Guide toWorking with First Nations Clients, along withthe other documents in the Competencies forCanada’s Substance Abuse Workforce, isavailable on CD upon request by emailingcompetencies@ccsa.ca.

About the author:

As a National Priority Advisor at theCanadian Centre on Substance Abuse, ElvaKeip focuses on workforce development,especially competencies.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abusechanges lives by bringing people andknowledge together to reduce the harm ofalcohol and other drugs on society. Wepartner with public, private and non-governmental organizations to improve thehealth and safety of Canadians.

CCSA activities and products are madepossible through a financial contributionfrom Health Canada. The views of CCSA donot necessarily represent the views of theGovernment of Canada.

By Elva Keip

Working with FirstNations Clients: A Guide for Addictions Professionals

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We Support Voices of visions andthe “Blue Ribbon Campaign”Helping Create AwarenessRegarding Aboriginal & InuitSuicides. From a Concerned Canadian Corporation.

1 866 458-0101

In the midst of controversy over B.C.’sPeace River Site C dam project, the CanadianGeothermal Energy Association released astudy showing the province could get thesame amount of energy more affordably fromgeothermal sources for about half theconstruction costs. Unlike Site C, geothermalwouldn’t require massive transmissionupgrades, would be less environmentallydisruptive and would create more jobsthroughout the province rather than just inone area.

Despite the many benefits of geothermal,Canada is the only “Pacific Ring of Fire”country that doesn’t use it for commercial-scale energy. According to Desmog Blog,“New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines, theUnited States and Mexico all havecommercial geothermal plants.” Icelandheats up to 90 per cent of its homes, andsupplies 25 per cent of its electricity, withgeothermal.

Geothermal energy is generated by heatfrom Earth’s rocks, liquids and steam. It cancome from shallow ground, where thetemperature is a steady 10 to 16 C, hot waterand rocks deeper in the ground, or possiblyvery hot molten rock (magma) deep belowEarth’s surface. As with clean-energy sources

like solar, geothermal energy systems vary,from those that use hot water from theground directly to heat buildings,greenhouses and water, to those that pumpunderground hot water or steam to driveturbines. The David Suzuki Foundation’sVancouver and Montreal offices usegeothermal.

According to National Geographic,geothermal power plants use three methodsto produce electricity: dry steam, flash steamand binary cycle. Dry steam uses steam fromfractures in the ground. “Flash plants pulldeep, high-pressure hot water into cooler,low-pressure water,” which creates steam. Inbinary plants, which produce no greenhousegas emissions and will likely becomedominant, “hot water is passed by asecondary fluid with a much lower boilingpoint,” which turns the secondary fluid intovapour.

Unlike wind and solar, geothermalprovides steady energy and can serve as amore cost-effective and less environmentallydamaging form of baseload power than fossilfuels or nuclear. It’s not entirely withoutenvironmental impacts, but most are minorand can be overcome with good planning andsiting. Geothermal fluids can contain gasesand heavy metals, but most new systemsrecycle them back into the ground.Operations should also be located to avoidmixing geothermal liquids with groundwaterand to eliminate impacts on nearby naturalfeatures like hot springs. Some geothermalplants can produce small amounts of CO2,but binary systems are emissions-free. Insome cases, resources that provide heat canbecome depleted over time.

Although geothermal potential has beenconstrained by the need to locate operationsin areas with high volcanic activity, geysers orhot springs, new developments are making itmore widely viable. One controversialmethod being tested is similar to “fracking”for oil and gas. Water is injected into a well

with enough pressure to break rock andrelease heat to produce hot water and steamto generate power through a turbine orbinary system.

Researchers have also been studying urban“heat islands” as sources of geothermalenergy. Urban areas are warmer than theirrural surroundings, both above and belowground, because of the effects of buildings,basements and sewage and water systems.Geothermal pumps could make theunderground energy available to heatbuildings in winter and cool them in summer.

New methods of getting energy from theground could also give geothermal a boost.Entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava is workingwith researchers to bring heat to the surfaceusing graphene cords rather than steam orhot water. Graphene is stronger than steeland conducts heat well. Bhargava says thetechnology would be simple to develop andcould be integrated with existing power grids.

Unfortunately, geothermal hasn’t receivedthe same level of government support asother sources of energy, including fossil fuelsand nuclear. That’s partly because upfrontcosts are high and, as with oil and gasexploration, geothermal sources aren’talways located where developers hope they’llbe. As Desmog notes, resources are oftenfound in areas that already have access toinexpensive hydro power.

Rapid advancements in renewable-energyand power-grid technologies could put theworld on track to a mix of clean sourcesfairly quickly — which is absolutelynecessary to curtail global warming.Geothermal energy should be part of thatmix.

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster,author and co-founder of the David SuzukiFoundation. Written with contributionsfromDavid Suzuki Foundation Senior EditorIan Hanington.

Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

Geothermal: Tapping Earth’s abundant energy

David Suzuki

by David Suzuki

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Explor Resources Inc. is a gold and base metals exploration company with mineral holdings in Ontario, Quebec andSaskatchewan. The company is currently focused on exploration in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt of Ontario and Quebec, where morethan 180 M ounces of gold and more than 450 Mt of Cu-Zn orehave been found to date. Explor's total land position in the AbitibiGreenstone Belt is approximately 21,800 hectares. Explor alsoowns 1,991 hectares of mining claims in Saskatchewan and 250 hectares in New Brunswick.

www.explorresources.com

TSX.V: EXS

Explor Resources Inc.15 Gamble St. E., Suite 204Rouyn Noranda, QC Canada J9X 3B6

Chris Dupont, President & DirectorTel: (819) 797.4630Toll Free: 1.800.388.8668Fax: (819) 797.6050

Information request:info@explorresources.com

April 5, 2016, Winnipeg, Manitoba –Aboriginal Peoples Television Network(APTN) is delighted to announce it willpresent its 10-year anniversary of AboriginalDay Live (formerly Aboriginal Day Live &Celebration) at The Forks in Winnipeg, MBon Saturday, June 25, 2016.

In honour of the event’s beginning – thetheme is Back to Our Roots – with The Forksto be transformed into a spectacularCommunity Celebration Village of festivities.The daylong activities for all families and LIVEevening concert will feature award-winningand on the rise, Aboriginal artisans,musicians, and entertainers from acrossCanada.In a spirit of collaboration, Aboriginal DayLive will also evolve with new elements tomark a decade in the making. APTN is nowlooking to the arts and culture community tocontribute to the Celebration Stage and to thepublic for a Social Media Host of the LIVEevening concert.

• Open Call for Celebration Stage Performers: First Nations, Métis or Inuit entertainers, artists and musicians are invited to apply online by May 1, 2016.

• Open Call for Social Media Host: Any First Nations, Inuit or Métis person who isa Canadian resident and at least 18 years of age can audition online by April 22, 2016. Be available to work in Winnipeg between June 22 and June 26, 2016.The complete programming of the day’s

activities, evening concert lineup including itsmulti-platform LIVE broadcast, and the rosterof community partners will be announced atthe 10-year anniversary Aboriginal Day Livepress conference on Thursday, May 19, 2016.

For more on the beat of the upcomingcelebration and both open calls, visitaboriginaldaylive.com or follow APTN’sSocial Scene. Everyone is invited to partake inthe conversation anytime on Twitter orInstagram by tagging their posts with#ADL2016, and the network will share themwith its followers.

About Aboriginal Day Live

Aboriginal Day Live is held annually since2007 and is the largest celebration ofNational Aboriginal Day and the summersolstice in Canada. Aboriginal PeoplesTelevision Network (APTN) presents the day-long program of free activities and eveningconcert in Winnipeg, MB, on the Saturdayclosest to June 21st. The LIVE concertbroadcast is available to all Canadians viaAPTN, radio waves, online and mobiledevices. For more information, please visitaboriginaldaylive.com

For further information about AboriginalDay Live or APTN and for image requests,please contact:

Jacqueline JubinvilleManager of Communications, APTN(204) 947-9331, ext. 339jjubinville@aptn.ca

APTN’S 10th Annual Aboriginal Day LiveRetracing its roots on June 25th

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OJIBWAY AND CREE CULTURAL CENTREWelcomes you to the second largest native-oriented Resource Centre in CanadaOur Cultural Centre’s mandate is to service the First Nations communities in the Treaty #9 area or as is the case now, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

The Resource Centre is a Native-oriented library with a unique collection of material focusing on the Aboriginal people of Nishnawbe Aski Nation and areas of closed proximity. The General Collection is the largest portion of our collection. It consists of materials on history, culture, education, arts and crafts,language, etc. The Reference Section, Newspaper Clippings and Information files provide information on a wide range of topics. Finally, the Periodical Section contaons a variety of native newspapers and magazines These are available to read in the Resource Centre.

• The focus of our programs and services is to retain, maintain and preserve the culture,tradition and languages of the Aboriginal people of Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

• The Ojibway and Cree Cultural Centre provides programs andservices to fifty (50) First Nation communities within the

Nishnawbe Aski Nation.• We respond to the cultural and educational needs and aspirations

of the First Nations communities within our catchment area.

For more information:

Ojibway and Cree Cultural Centre

150 Brousseau Avenue,Unit B (Back Entrance)Timmins, Ontario P4N 5Y4Tel: (705) 267-7911 Fax: (705) 267-4988

e-mail: info@occc.ca

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

www.occc.ca

Focus Graphite’s Lac Knife, Quebec miningdevelopment project is seen as something ofa novelty in the Fermont community – a smallcrystalline graphite deposit encircled by thelargest iron ore mining projects in NorthAmerica.

The Lac Knife Project is not only novel, it iscritical to a material world in the throes ofchange - a change that encourages industriesto embrace and apply the values ofenvironmental sustainability throughout theirsupply chains.

Clean, renewable energy is the newpetroleum, according to one market observerwho used Tesla Motors electric vehicles andtrans-continental network of battery chargingstations as a model for nations to follow.

Germany and Japan are committed tobuilding out their renewable energyinfrastructures and Hydro-Quebec has takena leadership role in the Province of Quebec toexpand its renewable energy network.

Lac Knife is ImportantHigh purity graphite, when combined with

lithium and other minerals and metals formthe foundational components for renewableenergy production and storage. Lac Knife’sflake graphite deposit holds unique physicalcharacteristics and attributes that result inhigh performing technology applications.

Lac Knife’s graphite is a proven source forclean, fuel cell energy generation. And in May2014, Focus demonstrated that purifiedspherical graphite produced from its own,proprietary processing technologies resultedin an extremely high performing lithium ionbattery.

It is precisely why Focus Graphite ’sindustrial focus rests on future productionfrom Lac Knife for low-cost, high puritytechnology graphite materials and valueadded spherical graphite for the renewableenergy sectors.

Today, Focus Graphite Inc. is an advanced,

technology-oriented graphite mining andprocessing enterprise with high grademineral reserves and technical capabilitiesfor producing spherical graphite (SPG) tomeet the most exacting customerspecifications. Focus also holds a significantequity position in graphene applicationsdeveloper Grafoid Inc.

In late 2014, Focus transitioned out of theexploration stage to a mining developmentcompany. With one long-term offtakeagreement in hand, Focus anticipatesadditional graphite sales-purchaseagreements to be signed with batterymanufacturers during 2015.

The company’s Feasibility Study shows theLac Knife Project is economically viable andhas the potential to become one of theworld’s lowest cost graphite producers basedon 7.86 million tonnes of proven andprobable reserves grading at 15.13% Cg.

Common sense, respect for theenvironment, job creation and, participationin the Fermont community remain keyelements to Focus Graphite’s long-termsuccess.

Planting Roots in the CommunityOn October 28, 2014, Focus announced

the signing of a Pre-Development Agreement("PDA") with the Uashat Mak Mani-UtenamInnu ("ITUM") First Nation Band Council, forthe Lac Knife Mine Development Projectsome 30 km south of Fermont, in north-eastern Québec.

The intent of ITUM-Focus agreement is toenter into a collaborative relationship inorder to better understand the impacts of theproject and to incorporate ITUM's concernsinto the Lac Knife mine development projectplanning. The Rail-to-Seaport Link (Photo – Courtesy of Focus Graphite)

Focus Graphiteand the Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam Innu First NationPotential Partners in a Northern Quebec Technology Graphite Project

by Don Baxter

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More, however, the agreement lays thegroundwork for future negotiations thatcould pave the way to a long-termpartnership for the sustainable developmentof Focus Graphite’s planned value addedgraphite plant in the Sept Illes community.

Focus believes the introduction ofenvironmentally sustainable technologiesbrings additional value to its operations and,of course, the spillover benefits to thecommunity, all the while working with ITUMto address the community's social needs andsupporting its long term vision andaspirations.

Participation in this project offers thepotential added value of this secondtransformation to spherical graphite used inLi-ion batteries that will help to enable theelectrification of transportation and othergreen technologies as well as creating morejobs in the secondary transformation sector.

These are key interests with respect to thePlan Nord in Québec. Both the mine site andthe spherical graphite production plantwould be powered by Hydro Québec's lowcost and low carbon footprint sustainableenergy sources.

Test results published in May, 2014 on LacKnife’s value added spherical graphiteconfirmed extremely high performingmaterials for use in lithium ion batteries.During the Project Finance phase for theconstruction of the Lac Knife mine and plantfacilities, the secondary transformationopportunity will undergo a feasibility study

Chief Mike McKenzie of ITUM describedthe agreement as, “an important first step inmy community's assessment of the Lac Knifeproject.”

He said among other measures, theagreement includes a welcome contributionfrom Focus Graphite to help offset theimportant costs associated with analyzingmining projects.

“I also salute Focus' interest in partneringwith my community and note that thecompany's link to green technologies couldprove to be an interesting sustainablepartnership opportunity for the Innu ofUashat mak Mani-utenam," Chief McKenziesaid.

Towards Financing and Permitting Having met its regulatory milestones

during 2014, Focus is currently at the Project

Finance stage and anticipates multipleannouncements during 2015 related to thosediscussions and, for the conclusion ofdiscussions related to potential offtakeagreements with international graphitebuyers.

Focus made mining history in late 2013,becoming the first graphite developer to signa long-term graphite sales-purchaseagreement with a Chinese industrialconglomerate.

On December 1, 2014, Focus filed itsEnvironmental and Social Impact Assessment(ESIA) for the Lac Knife Project – asignificant milestone and an importantcontributor to the company’s ongoing effortsto de-risk the Lac Knife Project’sdevelopment.

The ESIA, filed with the Ministère duDéveloppement Durable, de l'Environnementet de la Lutte contre les ChangementsClimatiques, is the main document used tocommunicate and discuss details of theproject to all concerned regulators andcommunity stakeholders regarding theproject's impact, risk mitigation, andpotential benefits.

The company is currently working withministry officials to acquire its finalpermitting Decree from the Quebecgovernment.

About the author:Don Baxter is President and ChiefOperating Officer of Focus Graphite Inc.

An ore sample from the Lac Knife Project (Photo Courtesy of Focus Graphite)

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The Québec Government has elaborated astrategy to develop the Northern Region of itsterritory. This vast area is sparsely populated,requires infrastructure and is pristine. TheGovernment hopes to develop resource andtourism, while maintaining the pristinenature of a large part of the territory.

André Gaumond, our Senior VicePresident, Northern Development, hasworked over the past 20 years within the PlanNord territory. He shares his experience andhis vision of exploration in Northern Québec.

1. Éléonore mine has reached commercial production in April 2015, nine years after the initial discovery by the Virginia Team. Can you describe the impact of the discovery of this great deposit?

The impacts of the Éléonore discovery are very important. You just have to look at the number of cars parked in the airports of Rouyn-Noranda, Chibougamau, Wemindji and Chisasibi to understand the great impact of this deposit on the northern communities. In addition, the mine

awarded contracts to many service providers including the opening of a new laundry contractor in Wemindji. The laundry is own by the Crees and all the workers come from Wemindji. Hundreds of Québec based firms have been involvedin the Éléonore development. In the villageof Wemindji, the opening of the mine has also allowed the construction of a trainingcenter.

2. What have been the key attributes ofyour success in the North?

Expertise, perseverance and sustainable development.

3. The Québec Government has proposedseveral initiatives to further develop itsNorthern Region. What do you see as thekey challenges for success?

The key challenges in the Plan Nord arelinked to the infrastructures and land access.Capital costs and operating costs forbusinesses in northern areas are significantly

higher than in the South. The presence ofinfrastructures such as roads, electricitydistribution network and airports are key forfuture developments. The commitment tokeep 50% of the territory without industrialactivity is concerning for future ofexploration and land access.

4. There is considerable debate withinQuébec on the strategies for Plan Nord. Doyou think that resource development canbe achieved successfully and with thesupport of key stakeholders?

Absolutely. Sustainable development andsocial acceptability are not only keyfactors, but they are the new reality of ourindustry throughout Québec. The industryhas implemented several measures andbest practices to mitigate the impact on theenvironment. We need, as an industry, tocommunicate and to demonstrate all of themeasures taken to minimize the impacts ofour operations, not only because we areleaders. Our achievements deserve to bewidely known. Very few people know that

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Our View towardsNorthern Development

the mining industry is one of the largestemployers of First Nations in Canada. Over23 years of involvement in the territory ofthe Plan Nord, our exploration team hasalways felt welcomed in the James BayArea.

5. Many people believe that the costassociated to sustainable development isdifficult to justify for small explorationcompanies, particularly in difficult times.What do you think?

I always considered sustainable devel-opment as a very profitable investment andnot as a simple expenditure. A project thathas been developed according to the bestsocial and environmental practices haspriceless competitive advantage.

Our Vision of SusatainabilityAt the core of our strategies to achieve our

goal of creating wealth for our shareholdersand other stakeholders is leadership in

sustainability. We strongly believe that we andour partners can carry out mining activities ina responsible manner by ensuring that:

• Our people and contractor employees work in a safe and efficient manner;

• We minimize our impact on environment throughout the full cycle ofmining;

• We communicate well with our host communities by explaining our planned activities, listening to the concerns, modifying our approach to respond to the concerns, and ensuring that our communities benefit economically from activities. We are particularly sensitive to the concerns of the First Nations;

• We participate in the development of best practices in our industry, and ensuring their implementation; and

• We promote the benefits of the mining industry to society.

The mining industry, like society, has evolved tremendously over the years.Through research and development, ourapproach has changed while increasing ourresponsibility to mitigate the impact ofactivities on air, land, water andcommunities.

Host Communities and CultureWe are engaged in on-going dialogue with

our host communities in the North. Weprovide insights into our planned activitiesand also return a report on our results.Throughout our dialogue, we further gaininsights in the culture of First Nations andtheir relationship with the land. We valuetheir knowledge of Aboriginal people andactively seek their input to minimize thepotential impact of our activities on theenvironment and their cultural heritage andtraditional ways. Osisko regularly visits FirstNation community partners to shareinformation, receive comments, andstrengthen our relationship.

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Richmont Mines is a Canadian based gold producer that operates the Island Gold Mine in Ontario, and the Beaufor Mine in Quebec. With a renewed focus and clear strategy we have reinvested in our operations to position the company for long-term success and shareholder value creation.

Island Gold Mine

Island Gold has a strong organic growth profile, decreasing costs, and exceptional exploration potential.

Located in Ontario, Canada, the Island Gold mine is our cornerstone asset. 2015 was Island Gold’s best year ever, with gold production of 55,040 gold ounces – 16% over guidance – and in-line with projected cash costs and AISC. In recent years, we have upgraded the mine’s underground infrastructure and mill capacity, which has increased underground productivity to 800 tpd, and the mill capacity to 900 tpd. With expanded productivity, increased reserves, and significant exploration potential, the mine is poised for another year of growing production and declining costs.

A Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) that was released in October forecasts the potential for increased production and lower AISC from 2017 through 2022. The PEA considers a base case scenario of 800 tpd, over three mining horizons, and indicates the potential for a further underground productivity expansion to 1,150 tpd. An updated study should be released in the second half of 2016.

Based on the PEA, 2015 and 2016 are considered transition years, in which we are focused on accelerating the underground development, to support the production growth and cash flow generation that are expected beginning in 2017. At that time capital investment requirements are expected to decrease significantly and drive a corresponding increase in free cash flow.

In 2015, delineation drilling results increased reserves by 206%, to 561,700 ounces of gold, extending the mine’s life to more than seven

years. Almost 80% of the PEA resources were converted to reserves, supporting the mine’s future production profile. In 2016, delineation drilling will focus on resource-to-reserve conversion of the remaining PEA resources.

Exploration at Island Gold

The Island Gold exploration program continues to demonstrate the significant potential of our cornerstone mine. Drilling programs continue to intersect very favourable gold mineralization both along strike and at depth, providing increasing confidence in further extending the mine life beyond the current seven years, and potentially supporting an expansion to 1,150 tonnes per day.

Our deep directional drilling program continues to confirm the higher-grade, wider mineralized zones at depth below the 1,000 metre level. The overall program commenced in September 2015 has four main objectives: 1) To test the near-mine potential to extend mine life laterally above the 860 metre level; 2) to follow up on gold intersections down plunge that support potential for an extension of the deposit between the 860 and 1,500 metre levels; 3) to test the east-west for lateral extensions beyond the known deposit; and 4) to test high-priority gold targets elsewhere across the prospective Island Gold property.

Beaufor Mine and Camflo Mill

Located near Val d’Or in northwestern Québec, the Beaufor mine has been in production since 1996 and remains an important asset in our portfolio. The 1,200 tpd Camflo mill is located approximately 49 km from Beaufor and its excess capacity provides toll milling opportunities.

For 2015, production was strong – the mine produced 26,411 ounces of gold, in line with guidance, at cash costs and AISC levels that were also within guidance estimates. A successful delineation drilling program increased the mine’s reserves by 95%, primarily from conversion of resources in the Q Zone, supporting more than two years of mine life. The mine marked two years of operations without a lost-time injury.

At Beaufor, development in 2016 will be focused on advancing the Q Zone where we reached

the mineralized structure in March 2016. Development in ore was initiated late in the first quarter with stope mining planned for the second half of the year.

Corporate Responsibility

It’s all about People

At Richmont, we believe in responsible mining. We strive to create sustainable value for all our stakeholders, including our employees, their families and the communities in which we operate.

Health and Safety

The Health and Safety of our employees is of paramount importance. We are committed to ensuring that our mines are safe, and that our work environment provides, promotes, and rewards a culture of safe practices and standards. In the spirit of our new company-wide safety program, It’s all about people, we closely monitor the best-practices that we have in place, and carry out frequent training and awareness programs at all our operations. In 2015, our total accident frequency improved by 35%. There have been no lost time incidents at Island Gold mine in five years, and none at Beaufor mine in the last two years.

Community

Our business depends on partnerships with governments, communities and First Nations, suppliers, and employees. We strive to engage our stakeholders in an open, transparent manner, with regular meetings and site visits for all stakeholders. We prefer to hire locally, and use local suppliers and services. Local employment increased steadily in 2015.

Environment

Our operations use a wide range of materials and consumables including explosives, chemicals, and fuels, and strive to be careful stewards of the environment, operating continuous improvement programs in the use and handling of these materials. We have programs are in place at each of our operations to ensure that waste management and disposal are compliant with permits and with local, provincial and federal regulations and standards.

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Alamos Gold was formed in 2003 with ahandful of employees and a developmentstage gold project in Sonora, Mexico. Today,Alamos has grown to employ more than1,300 people with three producing goldmines in North America including the Young-Davidson mine in Northern Ontario, and theMulatos and El Chanate mines in Sonora,Mexico. Alamos also has a portfolio ofgrowth projects in Turkey, Mexico, the UnitedStates and Canada, including the Lynn Lakegold project in Manitoba. The foundation of

this growth has been to create value andmake a positive contribution to all of its keystakeholders, including its employees, hostcommunities and local governments.

Health and Safety

Alamos is committed to providing andmaintaining a safe and healthy workingenvironment and has invested heavily indeveloping a safety-first culture across allaspects of its operations. Protecting its

employees is Alamos’ top priority. Thecompany’s goal is to achieve zero accidents inthe workplace. The Young-Davidson, Mulatosand El Chanate mines have all achievedsignificant safety milestones with eachoperation surpassing more than two millionwork hours without a lost time accident. Thistrack record is one the company is proud ofcontinuously looking to improve upon.

Alamos also believes in investing in itsemployees by providing extensive skillstraining required for the workplace and

Alamos Gold: Building for the

Long Term

other opportunities for advancementthrough personal and professionaldevelopment programs.

Track Record of Environmental Responsibility

Alamos builds and operates its mines in anenvironmentally sustainable manner with agoal of contributing to the local ecosystemssuch that beyond the closure of its mines, thecompany leaves things better off than when itfound them. In the design, construction,operation and ultimately closure of its mines,the company’s focus is on minimizing itsenvironmental footprint through the mostefficient use of energy, water and otherresources and ensuring its remediation andreclamation activities and plans areincorporated into every stage of the mine lifecycle.

The company has been recognized for itsstrong track record in environmentalstewardship including being granted theClean Industry certification at its Mulatosmine by the Mexican Federal Attorney forEnvironmental Protection (PROFEPA) since2011.

Community Engagement

Developing an understanding of the prioritiesof its host communities allows Alamos to focusits investments into community developmentand infrastructure programs that will providesustainable, long-term benefits. This hasincluded investing in and maintaining localinfrastructure, supporting educationalopportunities, improving access to medicalcare and enhancing medical services forcommunities surrounding its Mexicanoperations and various other community andsocial programs. Social engagement,participation and support from localcommunities are critical to Alamos’ success asa company.

Beyond the creation of direct and indirectjobs through the company’s operations andprojects, Alamos has also supported thedevelopment of micro-businesses with localstakeholders, including its First Nationcommunities at the Young-Davidson mine forservices from ore haulage to camp facilities andmanagement.

These are important initiatives, and throughongoing support and investment, Alamos iscommitted to helping build a foundation forsustainable well-being within its hostcommunities, long after the closure of its mines.

Development Pipeline: Lynn Lake

Alamos’ focus is on the long term. Its longterm growth is supported by a strongportfolio of development projects includingthe Lynn Lake project in Manitoba. Lynn Lakeis a highly prospective past-producing goldcamp with its two primary deposits, theMacLellan Mine and the Farley Lake Mine,envisioned as one of the highest grade openpit mining operations in North America.Alamos continues to work with its keystakeholders including its First Nationpartners, the Marcel Colomb First Nation, thelocal communities and government toadvance the project through the feasibilityand permitting stages, and ultimatelyconstruction.

For more information please visit thecompany’s website at www.alamosgold.com

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