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MINING INDUSTRY SINCE 1935

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MAC Staff

Meet the members of the MAC Team.

Pierre Gratton

President and CEO

Pierre Gratton was appointed President and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) on June 1, 2011.  Based in Ottawa, MAC is the national organization for the Canadian mining industry. Its members are engaged in mineral exploration, mining, smelting, refining and semi-fabrication.

Prior to his appointment to MAC, Pierre was President and CEO of the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC).  From 1999-2008, Mr. Gratton served as Vice President, Sustainable Development and Public Affairs for the Mining Association of Canada (MAC).  In this capacity, he was instrumental in the development of Towards Sustainable Mining, MAC’s flagship program that is gaining international recognition and adoption. In 2005-06, Mr. Gratton was honoured as a Distinguished Lecturer for the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).

Mr. Gratton is First Vice-President of the Interamerican Mining Society (SIM – Sociedad Interamericana de Mineria), former Chair of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, Co-chair of the Green Mining Initiative Advisory Committee and sits on the Board of Ottawa’s Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Gratton holds an M.A. degree in political science, a B.A. from McGill University, and a third-degree black belt.

Ben Chalmers

Senior Vice President

Since joining MAC in 2011, Ben has been responsible for the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative, the made-in-Canada award-winning program focused on enabling mining companies to meet society’s needs for minerals, metals and energy products in the most socially, economically and environmentally responsible way. Over the last few years, Ben has played an important role in the international growth of TSM as it becomes a sought-after responsible mining standard.  During his time working with TSM, it spread beyond Canada to be adopted by national mining associations around the world.

As Senior Vice President, Ben is responsible for overseeing MAC’s work related to Public Affairs & Communications and Government Relations.  Ben has extensive experience in the mining sector and began working in the industry in 2004 at the Myra Falls Operations in British Columbia where he worked as an Environmental Supervisor for the mine. Prior to joining MAC, Ben served as Vice President of Environment and Technical Affairs for the Mining Association of British Columbia and was also a Senior Policy Analyst with Natural Resources Canada. Ben is a member of both the Minister of International Trade’s Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Body on Responsible Business Conduct and the Responsible Business Alliance’s Responsible Mining Initiative Engagement Team.

Paul Hébert

Vice President, Communications

Paul is responsible for corporate communications, issues management, media relations, social media, website management, publications, and annual advertising campaigns. Paul works with MAC’s policy experts, members, stakeholders and partners to develop and implement communications plans, strategies and activities to support the entire breadth of the MAC’s objectives. Paul’s 25+ year career has included senior leadership roles at the Mining Industry Human Resource Council, The Canadian Nuclear Association, The Appraisal Institute of Canada, among others.  In 2006-07, Paul was honoured as a Distinguished Lecturer for the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).  Paul studied English Literature at Carleton University and has completed Executive Development Programs At the University of Toronto, McGill University, and the University of Oxford’s Said Business School.

Geoff Smith

Vice President, Government Relations

Engaging with Parliamentarians and federal officials on mining sector issues is a key function MAC undertakes on behalf of its members. As Vice President, Government Relations, Geoff is responsible for identifying opportunities and developing strategies to advance MAC priorities in Ottawa. Having spent eight years as the Director of Government Relations for the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) prior to joining MAC, Geoff is well versed in federal energy and resource policy. Geoff has significant Parliamentary experience, and for over a decade served as a political advisor to federal Ministers of Industry; Citizenship and Immigration; and several Members of Parliament from Ontario and British Columbia. Geoff also serves as MAC’s representative on the Mining Industry Human Resources Council’s Board of Directors.

Photinie Koutsavlis

Vice President, Economic Affairs and Climate Change

Photinie works to advance the mining industry’s understanding of key economic issues, including taxation, international trade and investment, infrastructure and innovation. She is also responsible for guiding MAC and its members in supporting an orderly transition toward a lower carbon future, and to being constructive partners in the fight against climate change.

Photinie previously served as Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Director General, Policy and Economic Branch for the Lands and Minerals Sector where she was responsible for leading and integrating strategic policy, science, regulatory expertise, economics and market analysis to inform policy development and decisions on domestic and international priorities related to lands, minerals and metals. In her most recent role with NRCan, Photinie played a vital role in the development and implementation of the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan and steered the efforts of the department’s Critical Minerals Task Force to establish Canada as the preferred global supplier of critical minerals, products and technologies that are essential to building a net-zero economy. 

Tara Shea

Vice President, Regulatory and Indigenous Affairs

Tara works with MAC members in addressing and understanding the federal regulatory and legislative environment that Canadian mining companies adhere to. In her role, she monitors emerging regulatory issues and participates in policy development for a wide range of federal acts and regulations including the Impact Assessment Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act, Species at Risk Act and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. She is dedicated to working on species at risk and protected areas related issues and is an active member of the Nature Advisory Committee, a co-chair of the Canadian Environmental Domestic Advisory Group on the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and a member of the Centre for Land Conservation’s Board of Directors.

Charles Dumaresq

Vice President, Science and Environmental Management

Charles focuses on regulatory and environmental aspects of mining, including mine waste management, effluent quality, and monitoring and mitigating effects on water quality and the aquatic environment. Prior to joining MAC, Charles spent 22 years with the Government of Canada, working on issues related to mining and the environment. He is experienced in technical and policy aspects related to legacy environmental issues associated with orphaned and abandoned mines, and has extensive experience in regulatory development and implementation. A geologist by training, Charles first gained experience in the mining industry working on mineral exploration projects.

Katherine Gosselin

Director, Towards Sustainable Mining

Katherine is responsible for the management of the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining initiative. She joins MAC from Natural Resources Canada, where she worked with Latin American governments to promote sustainable mining practices and provided advice in support of North American trade negotiations. More recently, Katherine was responsible for Canada’s international collaboration and policy development related to critical minerals trade and investment. Prior to joining the Government of Canada, Katherine worked in diverse roles in Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and Belgium. She holds an MSc in Global Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Danielle Morrison

Director, Regulatory Affairs

Danielle serves as MAC’s policy lead on issues related to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), including: the Chemicals Management Plan; National Pollutant Release Inventory; circular economy; product stewardship; Fisheries Act; aquatic species; marine protected areas; and other emerging and related issues. Prior to joining MAC in 2023, Danielle served as the chemicals management policy lead at the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada for 4.5 years, where she played a key role influencing the modernization of Canada’s cornerstone environmental protection Act through Bill S-5. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Master of Biomedical Informatics from Queen’s University.

Marilyn Fortin

Comptroller and Member Relations

Marilyn oversees the operational activities of the association, including human resources, information technology, finance, and facilities management. Marilyn also is the primary contact for membership and member services, coordinates Board of Directors events and conferences, and provides a Board secretariat function. Prior to joining MAC in 2003, Marilyn held management positions with public, private and non-profit organizations, including the Canada Museum of Science and Technology where she held the position of Corporate Secretary. She is a seasoned professional with extensive knowledge of membership services, human resources and administration.

Debbie Villeneuve

Financial Officer

As Financial Officer, Debbie is responsible for MAC’s day-to-day financial management operations. Specifically, her responsibilities include accounts receivable/payable, the preparation of financial statements and payroll as well as the preparation of audit working papers and audited financial statements.  Debbie is a seasoned financial professional with diverse experience in accounting, fund and cash flow management, and performance reporting and financial analysis in a not-for profit environment.

Debbie MacVicar

Administrative Assistant

Manages MAC’s reception area, assists with events programming and provides administrative support for various facets of the association.

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