Launch of 2009 "Lure of the North" tour

    
                 NORTHERN QUEBEC: THE NEW KLONDIKE FOR JOBS

           Goal: Fill more than 1,000 jobs in the mining industry
    

MONTREAL , Sept. 15 /CNW Telbec/ - Comité action mines (CAM) today officially launched a major campaign aimed attracting more than 1,000 workers to meet the needs of the mining industry in northern Quebec . From September 14 to October 7, 2009 , the "Lure of the North" caravan will visit some 15 municipalities in the Greater Montreal , Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean and Mauricie regions to promote the value of northern Quebec and its rich mining industry.

"The mining industry in our region has been booming for the past few years. We have a wealth of resources, with six mines currently operating, a dozen development projects and nearly 250 mining exploration projects. The sector offers attractive jobs and the region has an outstanding quality of life for families that choose to settle there," said Alain Poirier, president of CAM. The James Bay region, which boasts countless lakes and rivers and an amazing variety of wildlife, is one of the last unspoiled regions on the planet. It covers an area of 350,000 km2, about the size of Germany .

During the tour, representatives of the "Lure of the North" caravan will invite the public to come and meet them. They will provide information about the region and career opportunities in the mining industry. "There are needs to be filled at every level: extraction miners, drillers, electricians, mechanics, lab technicians, surveyors, accountants, geologists, engineers and many others. It's a safe industry with high salaries, possibilities for rapid advancement and an increasing reliance on high-tech solutions," added Mr. Poirier .

Advertising, Web and competition

Along with the caravan, CAM has developed a website, www.larueeverslenord.com. It includes information about the region's attractions, a portrait of the mining industry, jobs available in the sector, the latest news and video testimonials by people who call the James Bay region home.

To promote the website and the regional tour, an advertising campaign has also been developed, for radio, television and the Internet.

Visitors to the caravan and the website can also enter a draw for a one-week trip for two to the James Bay region, including transportation, accommodation and meals. During their trip, the winners will tour hydroelectric facilities at the La Grande complex in Radisson, go on a fishing trip, observe polar bears, visit the Cree community of Oujé-Bougoumou and the Persévérance mine in Matagami, all in the company of a guide.

Spokesperson

Actor François Gadbois, who is well known for his role as Mathieu in the popular television series L'auberge du chien noir, aired on Radio-Canada, is the campaign spokesperson. A fan of the great outdoors, especially wilderness camping, François enthusiastically agreed to get involved in the campaign because if offers attractive prospects for young people. "The mining industry has evolved a great deal. It is more oriented to sustainable development and much safer. As well, the region has a lot that will appeal to people who are seeking an exceptional quality of life. It really does offer a mine of opportunities," he says.

The 2009 "Lure of the North" tour will be following by a second regional tour in the fall of 2010, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord, Gaspésie and Centre du Québec regions.

About Comité action mines

Comité action mines has a mission to monitor the labour needs of northern Quebec's mining industry. It acts in partnership with various regional stakeholders and aims to satisfy the industry's labour needs, both in quality and quantity.

For further information: for media only: Nadia Paquet, [phone], Cell: [phone], [email protected]