As Sault MPP Ross Romano is headed to the far north to visit the Ring of Fire area and meet with First Nation communities, the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp. is keeping its line of communication open Noront Resources.
Romano left Thursday for the far north and is expected to return home Oct. 15. His plan, which he had talked about during the provincial byelection campaign, was to visit the region, tour the area and learn more about issues facing First Nation communities in the area.
His goals are to tour the area to get a full appreciation of the challenges the provincial government faces to develop the road and how to properly address the relationship with Indigenous communities.
Improving their social issues is just as important as the road to access the mineral deposits, Romano had said, and he is hoping to develop a meaningful private member’s bill to present in the fall that will help improve social issues in the rural North region.
Romano had said earlier this summer that he views the facility as an important job creator and economic booster for Sault Ste. Marie and has been doing his own lobbying for the plant. Scott Ramsay, Romano’s assistant at Queen’s Park, said Romano will hold a media briefing after he returns to Sault Ste. Marie.
“It’s safe to say he isn’t only meeting on the Ring of Fire, but wants to do his own research to understand the impacts of things in the region and on the First Nation communities,” Ramsay said. “It’s just as much about relationships and relation building.”
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