Introduction
The Northern parts of Canada were relatively uninhabited for a very long time; however, over the last twenty years its population has dramatically increased; now it constitutes approximately 100. 000 people (Canada’s National Statistical Agency, unpaged). In part, it can be explained by the growing diamond production industry. Some scholars argue that the effects of diamond have been primarily beneficial since it contributed to the reduction of unemployment in this area (Smith, 2; Monro, Wicander & Hazlett, 357). Furthermore, the diamond industry provided a powerful stimulus to the development of infrastructures such as roads and communications. In this paper, I would like to examine such an issue as the impact of diamond exploration on the economic and demographic situation in Northern Canada. Although it is too early to jump to conclusions, I would like to argue that despite the positive changes brought by diamond production, it did not significantly promote the well-being of the indigenous population. This is the key assumption which I would like to test.
Geography of the Canadian North
To conduct this research, I will need to rely on several resources. First of all, I will need to trace the population growth in this region. It will be necessary to describe the demographic trends in this area and explain the continuous inflow of people. This kind of information can be obtained from various governmental agencies like Canada’s National Statistical Agency. This organization provides reports about the changes in population density in this or that region of the country (Canada’s National Statistical Agency, unpaged). We must estimate which portion of these people work for mining companies or in those enterprises, related to them. This research method will enable us to see the role of diamond exploration in the reduction of unemployment.
The second task is to trace the economic development of this region; I will need to focus on such aspects as income per capita, gross domestic product. In this way, it will be possible for me to determine the economic impacts of diamond exploration. Another issue that is also of great importance for us is how these mining enterprises transformed the landscape of this area. For this purpose, I will need to take a specific example such as the city of Yellowknife. We need to trace the development of infrastructure in this city, namely transportation (highways, airport, public transport), telecommunications, water distribution systems, power networks. One would not exaggerate by saying that this growth was prompted by the mining industry.
It should be noted that many parts of this infrastructure built for the needs of the mining industry (Brophy, 107). The third question which I would like to examine is how diamond mining has promoted the well-being of the indigenous population. It is necessary to pay attention to the following criteria: the number of jobs that have been created for them by diamond mining companies.
This study will be important to the extent that it will show how the extraction industry transforms both natural and social environments. Canada has long been one of the largest exporters of minerals in the world (Britton, 123; Delphin & McIntosh, 67). Mining is an inherent part of the country’s economy and it may be useful to know the extent to which it has shaped our society as well as its future effects. This is the reason why this topic has been of much interest to me.
Works Cited
Brophy. J. Satelite Geological Mapping of the Yellowknife Volcanic Bet. University of Calgary. 1991. Web.
Britton. John. Canada and the global economy: the geography of structural and technological change. McGill-Queen’s Press – MQUP, 1996. Print.
Canada’s National Statistical Agency. “Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, 2006 and 2001 censuses – 100% data” 2009. Web.
Doem. G. & Kinder J. Strategic science in the public interest: Canada’s government aboratories and science-based agencies. University of Toronto Press, 2007. Print.
Monro James. Wicander Reed. & Hazlett Richard. PHYSICAL GEOLOGY: EXPLORING EARTH. NY: Cengage Learning, 2006. Print
Muise. Delphin and McIntosh Robert. Coal mining in Canada: a historical and comparative overview. Ottawa: National Museum of Science and Technology. 1996 Print.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Statistical Profile of Canada. 2011. Web.
Smith Jeremy. The Growth of Diamond Mining in Canada and Implications for Mining Productivity. Center for the Study of Living Standards. 2004. Web.
Statistics Canada. Canada Year Book. 2010. Web.
Yellowknife. The City Home Page. 2011. Web.