The Financial Post reports in its Tuesday edition Seymour Schulich said Monday he is "constructive" on a possible merger between Barrick Gold and Newmont Mining. The Post's Barry Critchley quotes the long-time gold investor as saying, "It's an intriguing plan," that will result in the formation of "very large" Canadian company. Mr. Schulich has bought about 11 million shares in Barrick so far this year. That stake, which is about 1 per cent of the shares outstanding, is a new position for Mr. Schulich. "I think over the next 12 to 18 months, gold will go a lot higher. They have good assets and the [gold] stocks are trading near 12-year lows having been knocked down to 40 per cent of where they were," said Mr. Schulich. That drop represents a much larger decline than the 30-per-cent fall in the gold price. "I don't believe gold is going to stay down at these levels. I don't believe there is no inflation. I think it's alive and well." He added, "printing of paper by the world's governments" will eventually lead to higher gold prices. "I am in the stock because it's very liquid." Mr. Schulich approves of Ned Goodman's appointment as Barrick director. "I don't think that Ned is doing this for his health."