Seamus O’Regan, minister of natural resources, Government of Canada. Courtesy of Seamus O'Regan

Although he had already been on the job for a few months, Seamus O’Regan’s introduction to the mining industry on its own turf came at this year’s PDAC. It was the opportunity for the federal minister of natural resources to help strengthen relationships strained by a long-stalled pipeline project, conflict over the carbon tax and a derailed multi-billion dollar oil sands mine.