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                                                                   EXHIBIT 31.1

                                  CERTIFICATION

I, Ronald J. McGregor, certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Vista Gold Corp.;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were
made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as
of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.   I am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) [omitted
pursuant to Transition Period provisions at Section III of Release 34-47986 of
the Securities and Exchange Commission entitled "Management's Reports on
Internal Control over Financial Reporting and Certification of Disclosure in
Exchange Act Periodic Reports"] for the registrant and have:

     (a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
          disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under my
          supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
          registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to
          me by others within those entities, particularly during the period in
          which this report is being prepared;

     (b)  [omitted pursuant to Transition Period provisions at Section III of
          Release 34-47986 of the Securities and Exchange Commission entitled
          "Management's Reports on Internal Control over Financial Reporting and
          Certification of Disclosure in Exchange Act Periodic Reports"];

     (c)  Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
          and procedures and presented in this report my conclusions about the
          effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end
          of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

     (d)  Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
          control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's
          most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in
          the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is
          reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal
          control over financial reporting; and

5.   I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation of internal control
over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee
of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
functions):

     (a)  All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
          operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
          reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
          record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

     (b)  Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
          control over financial reporting.

Dated: November 5, 2003           /s/ Ronald J. McGregor
                                  -------------------------------------
                                  Ronald J. McGregor,
                                  President and Chief Executive Officer
                                  (Principal Executive Officer and
                                  Principal Financial Officer)


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