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Real negotiations needed for Ring of Fire: Gravelle

Ore mined in the north should be refined in the north as it will mean the difference between “hundreds and thousands” of jobs for northern Ontario, Nickel Belt NDP MP Claude Gravelle said.
Ore mined in the north should be refined in the north as it will mean the difference between “hundreds and thousands” of jobs for northern Ontario, Nickel Belt NDP MP Claude Gravelle said.

New Democrat MPs at the Natural Resources Committee had mining companies and First Nations communities sitting side by side Feb. 13 acknowledging the need for real negotiations and partnerships on the business, refining and environment side of the massive Ring of Fire project, according to a news release.

“The missing ingredient for Ring of Fire is obviously having real negotiations between the mining companies and First Nations to explore as concretely as possible business, jobs and training opportunities while respecting the environment and treaty,” Gravelle said. “It was the most obvious message coming from the testimony (Feb. 13).

Representatives of the Mattawa First Nations and Nishnawbe Aski Nation testified they were “pro development” with qualifications, reminding MPs the region has been their homeland long before it became known as Ring of Fire, he stated in the release.

“We believe it is important to address both the project-specific, as well as the cumulative and regional environmental effects, of the Cliffs and NORONT projects and to bring together the First Nations provincial and federal governments in an efficient process that will enable our community members to fully participate in the environmental assessment process,” Ring of Fire co-ordinator Raymond Ferris, from the Mattawa First Nations, said.

Gravelle stated Cliffs Natural Resources vice-president William Boor testified that 60 per cent of the ore is projected to be refined in Canada, with 40 per cent of the concentrate exported abroad to help pay for operations.

After hearing the mining companies signal job opportunities for Aboriginal communities, New Democrat MP John Rafferty cited concerns about the Conservative government ending the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership.

“It has helped prepare more than 18,000 Canadians for skilled jobs since 2003, but funding runs out this year. The government has not renewed support,” Rafferty said.

MPs also heard testimony on major transportation and energy infrastructure challenges for the Ring of Fire project. The hearings, which wrap up Feb. 15, are part of a long committee study on the development of resources in Northern Canada.

Posted by Mark Gentili

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