By Christian Granholm

On this day in Canadian history, May 14, 1969: Prime Minister Trudeau (Pierre, that is) passes the massive Criminal Law Amendment Act, and the country is better for it.

You had me at ‘leather tassels’.

The extensive amendment decriminalizes homosexuality in Canada, as well as changing the laws regarding gun possession, allowing abortion and contraception and adds a few new offenses like impaired driving and cruelty to animals.

Fast forward 50 years and the US is still struggling with many of these same issues (we’re looking at you, Alabama) and there’s never been a better time to celebrate being a Canadian. Thanks, Trudeau.

New Listings

The CSE welcomes the following new listings this week:

12 Exploration Inc (CSE:TWLV)

May 13th

Dundee  Sustainable  Technologies  Inc. (CSE: DST), a metallurgical technology developer engaged in the development and commercialization of efficient, environment-friendly technologies for the treatment of materials in the mining industry update on their primary technologies.

The  Corporation has begun the  branding of its Technologies as CLEVR Process (cyanide-free gold extraction) and GlassLock Process (Arsenic sequestration).

May 14th

ICC International Cannabis Corp. (CSE: WRLD.U) and Organic Flower Investments Group Inc.(CSE: SOW) have entered into definitive agreements with the Toronto Wolfpack RLFC  and HowlBrands to manufacture and distribute a suite of athlete‐focused, cannabidiol (“CBD”) performance products.

Deer Horn Capital Inc. (CSE: DHC) reports that the World Bank launched its Climate-Smart Mining Facility, the first-ever fund dedicated to making mining for minerals climate-smart and sustainable. The Facility will support sustainable extraction and processing of minerals and metals used in clean energy technologies such as wind, solar power and batteries for energy storage and electric vehicles. The fund focuses on helping resource-rich, developing countries benefit from increasing demand for minerals and metals while ensuring the mining sector is managed in a way that minimizes the environmental and climate footprint.

“We are excited to see this support for sustainable mining of critical metals, especially from an organization like the World Bank,” said Deer Horn President and CEO Tyrone Docherty. “While their initiative focuses on developing nations, we believe the Climate-Smart sustainability principles would benefit Canada, as well.”

Future Farm Technologies Inc. (CSE: FFT) has signed an agreement  with Northeast  Processing, a Vermont-based  hemp  processing  company, to process, test and package all of the hemp grown by Future Farm on 100 acres in Maine in 2019.

American Pacific Mining Corp (CSE: USGD) update on exploration plans at the 1,818 acre Tuscarora Gold Project in Elko Nevada, USA.

Mapping and assessment is already underway of visible veins, shafts, roadcuts and workings to incorporate large faults and regional structures into the planned geophysical program.

May15th

Rockcliff Metals Corporation (CSE: RCLF) completed its phase one, 6-hole reconnaissance heli-support winter drill program at the Laguna Gold Property in Manitoba. Drilling along 2  kilometres of the favorable 6 kilometre long Laguna Gold Mine Trend, discovered new quartz veins,  alteration zones and quartz zones with visible gold and gold-bearing sulphides. 

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX), a drug delivery platform innovator, has proven in animal testing that Lexaria’s Dehydra technology delivers cannabinoids to the bloodstream much more quickly and effectively than conventional industry cannabinoid edible formulation designs that often combine cannabinoids with MCT oils such as coconut oil.

Grand Peak Capital Corp. (CSE:GPK) announces that it has proceeded with a stock division of three for one. Holders of record on May 17, 2019 will receive their shares via DRS from the Company’s  transfer agent, Odyssey Trust Company.

New Jersey Mining Company (CSE:NJMC) announced results for the first quarter of 2019.

Approximately 11,550 dry metric tonnes were processed at the Company’s New Jersey mill at a head grade of 3.20 grams per tonne (gpt) with gold recovery of 87.1%.  A five-day mill schedule was  started in March which has increased monthly mill production by approximately 40%. Gold sales for the quarter were 960 ounces.

May 16th

SOL Global Investments Corp. (CSE: SOL) has entered into letters of intent to acquire ECD, Inc.,which operates as Northern Emeralds, an industry leading cannabis cultivation, processing and distribution company headquartered in Humboldt County, California, as well as six licensed dispensary companies in California that will subsequently operate under the nationally recognized “One Plant” brand.

SOL Global intends to open One Plant-branded dispensaries throughout California (a total of 20 operating and licensed dispensary companies),Florida, and Michigan.

May 17th

Del Rey Metals Corp.(CSE: DLRY) announce results from a Phase II prospecting program recently completed on its wholly-owned Star, Porcher and Blackie properties located along tide-water near Prince Rupert, BC.

A total of 125 rock samples were collected with assays returning as high as 0.513% Vanadium Oxide – an important catalyst used for making things like laser crystals and nanofibers.

Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) announce exploration drilling is ongoing and results from recently  completed holes will be announced pending finalization of assay results. Visible gold has been noted in several of the veins intersected.

The Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine, located entirely on private land, was once the second largest lode gold producer in the entire United States with a total past production of 2,414,000 oz of gold at an average mill head grade of 0.5 oz per ton (17.1 gpt) from 1866-1955 and production rates of up to 129,000 oz of gold per year.

The Overall

Well it didn’t get any better this week for any market, as China and Trump doubled down on rhetoric and tariff policies. Still savvy traders managed to make out- one man’s loss is another man’s gain.

We opened at 839.24 on Monday and closed at 824.93 on Friday.

Always Be Closing

This week, Beijing accused Trump of having “extravagant expectations” to end the trade war, causing analysts to worry that the two super powers are digging in for an extended game of “let’s see who blinks first on the way to the precipice”.

“The entire U.S. economy will suffer from this, although China will suffer more,” says Suisheng Zhao, director of the Center for China-U.S. Co-operation (CUSCR).

Meantime, Canadians are caught in the crossfire. Expect to see consumer products rise steeply at Walmart and Canadian Tire – everything from tires to TV sets.

And the knock-on effect of our market is the most troubling thing. Some are saying they expect to see a “semblance of a deal, that will temporarily give the markets a bump”. The trick is timing that bump.

“But ultimately it won’t solve anything,” says Orville Schell at CUSCR. “You might get some semblance of a deal, but it won’t work out.”

The best we can hope for at this point is a truce that lasts into the 2020 elections. Keep your accounts semi-liquid and your trading fingers poised.