http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay?cmp=rss
Extraction project must be ‘ecologically sustainable,’ law professor says of Ring of Fire development
A one-day conference about the Ring of Fire, taking place Friday in Thunder Bay, is looking at how issues would be addressed before resources are extracted from the mineral-rich region.
Lakehead University’s Faculty of Law and Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining and Exploration is hosting the discussion, which seeks to build on last year’s conference.
Challenges including sustainable development, the duty to consult and impacts on First Nations communities must be considered and addressed before the extraction project begins, said Jason MacLean, an assistant law professor at Lakehead.
“It would be putting the cart before the horse to speed ahead with the development of the project without ensuring that the project is going to be ecologically sustainable and respectful of indigenous rights,” MacLean said.