Even as we admit that the gravy-train has derailed we should also admit that there never was as much gravy in the train as we wanted to think or were led to think. For decades we Canadians have spent vastly more money on ourselves than we ever earned. Collectively we have lived beyond our means for years. In saying this I don't mean that all of the material prosperity we soaked up came to us only because we were living beyond our means. I fully supported such development.
Copper ore is of no use to anyone as long as it remains in the ground.
We were right to mine it and sell it. At the same time we must realize that once it's been mined it's gone for ever. Copper doesn't reproduce itself in the ground the way wheat reproduces itself in a field or beef cattle in a barn. Until new industries develop, until people are newly qualified for such industries, some Canadians will know economic hardship. All Canadians are going to find life financially leaner.