I agree with PC that if one MUST define and categorize people in this regard the best way to do it would be by looking at one the way Revenue Canada does.

But this is continuum. It consists of people trading pennies all day long and it consists of people dropping money down and not selling until they're dead. The point is that everyone is doing it to make money. If you are not putting your money down in the company to make money then what you're doing is not investing OR trading. It's called charitable giving. And that's a wonderful thing, that I think Canadians need to learn how to do properly. However, if you want to give charitably I would consider not dropping your hard earned coin into the purses of mining companies. Try an organization that puts food in people's mouths instead.

I own stock in this company. I want to increase the value of my holdings. I don't owe the company anything. I don't owe other investor's anything.

To me Traders and Investors are the all the same. Just different means to the same end, hopefully.