Mr. Bennett has a BA from the University of Guelph and a law degree from Queen’s University. He was elected for the first time in 2001. Mr. Bennett is known across Canada for his knowledge of the mining industry in BC. He led the BC government’s efforts over many years to restore BC’s competitiveness for exploration investment, including having improved the BC Ministry of Energy & Mines permitting process and helping to launch BC’s First Nations mine revenue sharing program. There are few people in Canada who have such a strong combined knowledge of government processes, of the mining industry and of First Nations. Mr. Bennett also sits on the Board of Directors of Kutcho Copper Corp. and Eagle Plains Resources Ltd.