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Aboriginal and Inuit Mining and Oil/Gas

NEWS RELEASE: Ontario Addresses Mineral Exploration Concerns [KI-God’s Lake Resources conflict]

March 4, 2012 10:00 AM

McGuinty Government Takes Steps to Address Mineral Exploration Impasse

Ontario has withdrawn lands in the vicinity of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) from prospecting and mining claim staking to give clarity to the province’s mineral exploration industry and avoid future disagreements over the land in question.

KI asserts jurisdiction over the land and has asked for a moratorium on mineral exploration and development. The Ontario Government has made several attempts to facilitate communication between KI and God’s Lake Resources (GLR), a junior mineral exploration company that holds a mining lease and mining claims in the vicinity of KI, north of Red Lake in Northwestern Ontario. The company’s existing mining lease and mining claims are not affected by the withdrawal.

The government remains committed to continuing discussions with both parties.

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KI’s battle over mining exploration heads south – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – March 2, 2012)

This article came from Wawatay News: http://www.wawataynews.ca/

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (KI) is taking the fight to stop exploration on its traditional lands to Toronto. KI plans to hold a major rally in Ontario’s capital on Mar. 6 following a talk by the community’s leaders on Mar.5.
 
“We’re going to let the public know that this is still an issue, even though we’re way up here in the North,” KI Chief Morris said before heading to Toronto. “And to see this overwhelming support that we have.”
 
The rally takes place as thousands of mining company executives and government leaders from around the world gather in Toronto for the annual Prospectors and Developers Association Conference.
 
KI’s push into Toronto comes after Morris released a Youtube video in February announcing his First Nation’s plan to mobilize against God’s Lake Resources, a gold mining company with a stake in KI’s traditional territory.

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Solid Gold, Wahgoshig Nation clash – by K. Lagowski (CIM Magazine – February, 2012)

Founded in 1898, the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) is a technical society of professionals in the Canadian minerals, metals, materials and energy industries.

Junior miner takes on injunction against exploration

Toronto-based Solid Gold Resources filed a notice for leave to appeal an Ontario Supreme Court injunction that ordered them to stop drilling for 120 days on territory claimed by Wahgoshig First Nation (WFN). The company has also sued the Ontario government for $100 million in damages.

The disputed area is 200 square kilometres near Matheson, Ontario, which is adjacent to the Wahgoshig reserve. The First Nation says the site contains burial grounds and is frequented by the community for hunting, trapping, fishing, medicine gathering and ceremonial purposes.

WFN first discovered Solid Gold’s drilling crew on Treaty 9 land in the spring of 2011. According to the court decision, the crew did not say who they were working for, and the First Nation was only able to ask for consultation after research and enquiry revealed Solid Gold’s identity. After WFN tried and failed to contact the company, the provincial government wrote Solid Gold in early November to let them know about their duty to consult.

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Mediator called in for Solid Gold talks – by Ron Grech (Timmins Daily Press – March 2,2012)

Mining firm, First Nation and provincial government continue discussions

A facilitator has been brought in to help mediate discussions involving Solid Gold Resource Corporation, Wahgoshig First Nation and the provincial government.

Solid Gold is a mineral exploration company that was forced by an injunction to halt drilling on a 200 square-kilometre claim outside the boundary of the Wahgoshig reserve. Darryl Stretch, president of Solid Gold, said the discussions held in the presence of a facilitator were an

“attempt to honour the court order that says we need to do consultation” with Wahgoshig. However, it appears both sides are still far from reaching an agreement.

“In their Statement of Claim, the First Nation is asking for a declaration that no one will explore on that Crown land there unless they get written permission from that First Nation,” said Stretch.

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Former First Nation chief becomes face of Canadian mining [at the PDAC] – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – March, 2012)

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North. Ian Ross is the editor of Northern Ontario Business ianross@nob.on.ca.

Taking the lead

When Glenn Nolan first attended the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) annual spring convention in 2004, there were a couple dozen Aboriginal faces in the crowd among the world’s mining heavyweights.
 
The agenda set aside for First Nations discussion was small, and was reflective of the state of the mining industry’s relations with Canada’s indigenous people.
 
“When we started doing Aboriginal sessions, it was all about conflict,” said Nolan, who serves as Noront Resources’ vice-president of Aboriginal relations. Things are decidedly different heading into this month’s show in Toronto.
 
PDAC corporate membership rolls list about 400 who are self-identified Inuit, Metis and First Nation delegates.

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Let’s get North [Ontario] growing – Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal Editorial (March 1, 2012)

The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario.

CRISIS management is hardly the best way to govern. But it does focus leadership on the narrow necessities instead of the big picture it likes to ponder. Ontario’s descent into economic purgatory has caused its government to consider the cost and effectiveness of every program inside every ministry as its grapples with a $16-billion annual budget deficit.

 Ahead of this month’s budget, there are scenarios being played out at Queen’s Park that would shock many Ontarians. There is no way around some of the revisions that are coming, so prepare to be shocked.

 Queen’s Park tends to look outward from its downtown Toronto edifice at two-thirds of the jurisdiction about which some in its employ have no idea. They’re not really sure where Thunder Bay is (let alone Terrace Bay), just that it’s far away.

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Wahgoshig First Nation/Solid Gold Conflict – CBC Radio Sudbury (Morning North Program – Markus Schwabe – February 29, 2012)

CBC Radio Sudbury – Morning North Program Mining claims and First Nations traditional territory CBC Reporter Martha Dillman looks at the mining claims system in Ontario as a case between a northern First Nation and a junior mining company continues to be discussed in provincial court. Click here to listen: http://www.cbc.ca/morningnorth/past-episodes/2012/02/29/mining-claims-and-first-nations-traditional-territory/

Wahgoshig First Nation/Solid Gold Conflict – CBC Radio Sudbury (Points North Program – Jason Turnbull – January 26, 2012)

CBC Radio Sudbury – Points North Program Northern mining company suing Ontario Gov’t Wahgoshig First Nation recently won an injunction against junior mining company Solid Gold Resources claiming it was exploring on its traditional territory. The mining company is now suing the province over claims it had on the land in question. Click here to …

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Conflict, confusion over provincial mining claims -(CBC Thunder Bay – March 1, 2012)

This article is from CBC Thunder Bay website: http://www.cbc.ca/thunderbay/

Ontario’s mining act being updated to address relations between exploration industry and First Nations

Last year, the exploration industry spent close to a billion dollars looking for minerals in Ontario. But some prospectors say the rules are not clear when it comes to staking claims — particularly on First Nation traditional territory.
 
That’s resulting in conflict and court cases. Mining companies or prospectors are granted exploration claims through the province.
 
But, traditional land surrounding First Nation territory is not marked on the province’s mining map — because the province can’t actually pin it down.
 
Clive Stephenson, a provincial mining recorder with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, said traditional territory is a relative term.

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Got a dog in that fight [Ring of Fire Economic Potential] – by David Robinson (Northern Ontario Business – February 27, 2012)

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business  provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North.  

Dave Robinson is an economist with the Institute for Northern Ontario Research and Development at Laurentian University. drobinson@laurentian.ca 

There is a battle going on for a big chunk of Northern Ontario. On one side is the global economy, desperate for minerals, desperate to minimize costs and leave behind as little as possible. On the other side are a handful of Northern communities hoping to leapfrog from being a 19th-century fur colony to being a highly educated, highly productive, self-governing 21st century society.

It is a David and Goliath struggle over how the value of Northern resources will be shared. And we have a dog in the fight, as they say in the southern U.S. We really need the Indians to win this one.

There are two selfish reasons to support the people of the Far North as they struggle to get some control of development in the region. The first is elementary economics. The more value stays in the Far North, the more will stay in the rest of the North.

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Riches for all from Ring of Fire, says Thunder Bay mayor – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – February 27, 2012)

This article came from Wawatay News: http://www.wawataynews.ca/

“There are enough riches in the Ring of Fire basin for
everyone here, including First Nations,” said Thunder
Bay mayor Keith Hobbs. “The riches in the Ring of Fire
are enough to make Ontario a have-province.”

Representatives from the City of Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation have joined together to call for government investment in infrastructure around the Ring of Fire.

The city and the First Nation say they are working towards making Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario a mining hub, like the Sudbury region.

“There are enough riches in the Ring of Fire basin for everyone here, including First Nations,” said Thunder Bay mayor Keith Hobbs. “The riches in the Ring of Fire are enough to make Ontario a have-province.”

Hobbs said the city is still pushing to host Cliffs Resources processing facility, despite acknowledging that Thunder Bay is not the favourite to get the plant or the estimated 300-500 jobs it would bring.

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Manitoba starts $3-billion permanent road network (Canadian Consulting Engineer – February 27, 2012)

http://www.canadianconsultingengineer.com/

First Nations communities along the east side of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba are being connected by permanent roads to the provincial road system for the first time.

The Government of Manitoba’s East Side Road Authority has started construction of roads and bridges along the all-season network, which altogether is estimated to cost approximately $3 billion and once completed will cover 1,028 kilometres. The overall project will take up to 30 years to complete.

SNC-Lavalin established the routes in a two-year long study, known as the Large Area Transportation Network Study, which was officially released in June 2011. Now, AECOM is the prime consulting engineering firm implementing the project, and Dillon Consulting is the contract administrator. Both companies are working on the road and bridge works.

Last week, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger visited Manto Sipi Cree Nation near Gods River to see first-hand how work is progressing. A series of new permanent and some temporary bridges is under way and Chief Michael Yellowback said the communities are already benefiting, since warming temperatures had put the current winter roads in jeopardy.

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Public wants mining road to connect First Nations [and Ring of Fire] (CBC News-Thunder Bay – February 24, 2012)

This article is from the CBC website: http://www.cbc.ca/news/

Noront Resources holds Thunder Bay open house to gauge opinion on Eagle’s Nest project

Many people at a mining information session Thursday night wanted to know how local communities will benefit from the roads planned for the Ring of Fire. More than 150 people came out to a Noront Resources open house in Thunder Bay.

They had questions about jobs and the environmental impact of the Eagle’s Nest project, but many also wanted to know more about the proposed new road to get to the mine.

Local Noront investor Don Paglaro said the road shouldn’t be just the company’s responsibility.

“I think the government should not only put in some funding, but should maybe decide on a good route … one that benefits northwestern Ontario, which is Thunder Bay,” he said.

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Regional plan needed for Ring of Fire: Liberal critic – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – February 23, 2012)

This article came from Wawatay News: http://www.wawataynews.ca/

The federal Liberal critic for Aboriginal Affairs is cautioning that communities in northern Ontario could see environmental and health effects like those seen in Alberta’s oilsands region, if regional planning and environmental assessments for the Ring of Fire are not done properly.

Dr. Carolyn Bennett was in Thunder Bay on Feb. 20 to meet with Matawa First Nations. Following that meeting, Bennett said the current approach of doing individual environmental assessments for each Ring of Fire project is flawed.

“It could be done in a much more coherent way,” Bennett said. “We should not be making the mistake of the oilsands, where everything is done in a very piecemeal way.”

Bennett’s comments come as documents obtained by CBC through a access-to-information request show that an Ontario manager with Environment Canada expressed similar concerns last year, before the environmental assessment process began.

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First Nations becoming major economic players – by Ron Grech (Timmins Daily Press – February 24, 2012)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

GDP from Aboriginal communities larger than some provinces

These are “exciting times” for business opportunities in First Nation communities, a gathering of chiefs, business leaders and economic development officials in Timmins were told Thursday.

Clint Davis, president and chief executive of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, cited several factors that have aligned enabling First Nation communities to become major economic players, if they play their cards right.

It seemed fitting that Davis would be speaking about growing economic development opportunities for First Nations as the keynote speaker at an event hosted by the CreeWest Limited Partnership. CreeWest is a Moose Factory-based charter airline service that arose from the economic opportunities created by the start-up of De Beers Canada’s Victor Mine in Attawapiskat six years ago.

It is widely known First Nation communities are the fastest growing demographic in the country.

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