almost every mining supplier and engineering company I have talked to the last half year have said mining business is slow (mining co.'s delaying orders, pushing plans out further, and sitting on cash). I heard the same thing today again from people at the CIM meeting (including talk of layoffs and the usual worries about the NDP in BC really killing the local industry).

Careful, Chops, you are a worthy hub leader but any mention of politics is supposed to be discussed in off-topic, no matter if industry types and Don Lindsay himself are uttering words to that effect. I'm not saying I agree, just reiterating what the majority seem to want.