2,000 munch appies, listen to speeches at invite-only ‘party’ hosted by KGHM Ajax at ISC

By MEL ROTHENBURGER

NEWS / AJAX — The application for the Ajax mine will be submitted by the first quarter of 2015, with production likely starting in 2018, about 2,000 supporters were told today at a “private party” hosted by KGHM International.

The invitation-only festival-style event filled the Interior Savings Centre arena floor as people lined up for mini-burgers, pork sandwiches, salmon, corn dogs and snow cones.

On stage, Henry Small’s four-piece band played “Hit the Road, Jack” and other standards, and guests stood or sat at tables drinking coffee or non-alcoholic punch, trying to hear each other over the din.

Servers circulated with hors d’oeuvres.

There were no politicians but there were a lot of business people, a lot of working people, too. The demographics were varied — young, old, ball caps, sports jackets, men, women.

Kids played in one of those inflatable bouncy slide things.

Aside from those with tickets, little was known in the community about the event, which wasn’t advertised. Media weren’t invited, and none tried to crash. I was allowed in, with conditions. No talking to guests about Ajax. No taking close-up photos of guests. No interviews with KGHM external affairs manager Yves Lacasse until Monday.

“It’s a party,” explained the company’s senior communications strategist, Robert Koopmans. “It’s to say thank you to the many people who support us in Kamloops. This is not open to the public.”

He said some people aren’t comfortable with media so those who RSVP’d were promised the media wouldn’t be there. The invitation list was generated from comment cards returned from a mailout of a recent brochure, and a list the corporation has been compiling for the past several months, Koopmans said.

Outside on the plaza, there was no sign of Ajax opponents, no milling about, no placards. Just people streaming in through the doors, being checked for tickets.

I contented myself taking a few pictures with my low-tech goof proof from the rotunda, some signs, and the overhead balloons, but after some discussion with Lacasse and Koopmans it was decided I could photograph the speakers on stage.

Meanwhile, I stuck to the agreed-upon script down on the floor.

“Write something good,” one guest chuckled.

“Good crowd,” I replied.

“Hey, I didn’t know you’re a supporter!” joked another.

“Just here for the corn dogs,” I answered lamely.

One attendee did some commiserating about the demise of The Kamloops Daily News, then said she really believed in “doing positive” in the community. I didn’t press for an elaboration of “positive.”

Halfway through, Lacasse took the stage to welcome everyone, beginning with an assurance that his values haven’t changed since he went from being a cop to being the public face of Ajax in Kamloops.

“I came from a small mining town in Quebec and I believe in the industry,” he said. “My values did not change when I joined this project… My job is still to keep Kamloops safe.”

He urged the community to “have a civil conversation based on science and facts. Our philosophy at Ajax is that all decisions will be driven by science.”

Plans are already underway for reclamation after the Ajax pit runs out, he said, and a community committee will be formed to work on it.

Warner Uhl, the new project manager, told the crowd KGHM has spent $150 million so far on Ajax, and will spend another $150 million by the time the environmental permit application is ready.

The application will likely be submitted by this time next year with a response “hopefully” by 2016 and a start of production in 2018, he said.

“We’re putting a lot of effort into listening to what people have to say.”

Lacasse said the event won’t be the last of its kind. “Today is a very important day for the community. We simply wanted to bring you here to say thank you for your support.”

At least one person there wasn’t an Ajax supporter. “What did you think of it?” she asked me as we edged toward the door.

I attempted a non-committal answer.

“I thought it was blah,” she offered, explaining she was there with a neighbour who supports Ajax. “I’m against it.”

At the exit doors, “I Support Ajax” stickers were being handed out to departing guests.