The Financial Post reports in its Wednesday edition that poor performance by Canada's mining companies in recent years has taken its toll, with many executives saying that traditional avenues of finance have dried up, with investors fleeing to other sectors such as cannabis. The Post's Gabriel Friedman quotes Barrick chief executive officer Mark Bristow telling analysts this month: "It is clear that the industry as a whole is not in good shape. We see the industry touring with survival-style mergers and acquisitions, and again neglecting the requirement to continue to invest in the future." Agnico Eagle Mines CEO Sean Boyd voiced similar sentiment, saying at his annual meeting in April that the industry is "struggling" and "shrinking." The shrinkage of Canada's mining industry was documented at a conference in New York by research and advisory firm Oreninc. It tracked around 1,400 active Canadian-listed mining companies and found that they are raising less money and forging fewer deals. According to data from the Canadian Securities Exchange, cited by Oreninc, cannabis companies raised $4-billion in 2018 compared with $217-million by mining companies. Meanwhile, mining bought deals have declined dramatically.