Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications – Page 243

MiningWatch appeals to [Ontario’s] province’s auditor general to revamp mining taxation – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – December 16, 2013)

December 16, 2013

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

MiningWatch Canada is asking Ontario’s auditor general to conduct a review of the province’s mining tax with the goal of getting Ontarians more than 2% of the value of minerals mined in the province.

The lobby group wrote Bonnie Lysyk out of frustration, said its executive director Ramsey Hart, after waiting more than 18 months for the Liberal government to fulfil a commitment first made in its spring 2012 budget.

The Grits said the review was mentioned in both the 2012 and 2013 budgets, but when Hart called the Ministry of Finance this week to inquire about how it was progressing, he said he was disappointed with what he heard.

Not only has the review not begun, Hart said he was told. The approach for the review is still being conducted. “It’s complicated, but it’s not that complicated,” Hart said Friday.

In a letter, he appealed to Lysyk to conduct an impartial, non-partisan, independent review, saying MiningWatch is tired of waiting for the province to do it.

ONTC was given the short shrift – by Tom Mills (Sault Star – December 14, 2013)

December 16, 2013

http://www.saultstar.com/

Does it surprise anyone that this provincial government apparently didn’t bother to find out how much it would cost to shut down the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission before announcing the move?

Or that taxpayers will foot the bill for another Liberal financial “oopsy”? Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk reported Tuesday that costs of the ONTC selloff could top $820 million.

That makes the projected savings of $265.9 million over three years, which the government trumpeted in its 2012 budget, seem like a figure pulled out of a hat. Or perhaps it was pulled out of that part of a finance minister’s anatomy where the sun don’t shine.

A cynic might point out that the difference between a $266-million savings and an $820-million cost isn’t much more than the amount taxpayers have paid to give a succession of Crown corporation executives some of the most obscene golden parachutes and platinum-plated expense accounts around.

But in this case the money itself might not be the most disturbing revelation in Lysyk’s investigation.

EDITORIAL: Ring of Fire ball dropped – by tbnewswatch.com (December 13, 2013)

December 16, 2013

http://www.tbnewswatch.com/

There are a lot of people hoping they don’t have to wash egg off their face in the wake of the latest Ring of Fire developments.

Late last month Cliffs Natural Resources decided they were pulling out of the project, at least temporarily, stating they have no plans for further investment in the foreseeable future.

While some see it as political posturing, a move aimed at forcing the government’s hand to build a roadway to the riches buried on traditional lands in the North, others believe that as time marched on, the company decided the payoff simply wasn’t worth the investment.

Opposition parties are lambasting Premier Kathleen Wynne – and by default Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle – for bungling the project from the get go.

Wynne in turn says the federal government needs to step to the plate and become a partner in the exercse.
The province should have seen this coming and should have stepped in much sooner.

P3s can support Canadian resource development – by Peter Kent (Daily Commercial News – December 10, 2013)

December 16, 2013

http://www.dcnonl.com/

Canadian resource development presents a conundrum. Without infrastructure there will be no development, but without development there will be no infrastructure.

While public-private partnerships (P3s) are largely used to deliver infrastructure to taxpayers, the model can also deliver roads, ports and railroads required to support the Canadian resource economy. At stake for Canadian builders — billions of dollars in contracts.

Panelists at the recent 21st annual national conference of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships in Toronto weighed in on how P3s can bridge the gap between resource potential and development.

Bill Thornton, assistant deputy minister, northern development, Ontario Ministry of Northern Development & Mines noted that the province’s mining and forestry sector rely largely on public lands owned by the province, so P3s may flow naturally from that relationship.

Time to stop relying on others doing well – by Greg Van Moorsel (London Free Press – December 12, 2013)

December 13, 2013

http://www.lfpress.com/

Hewers of wood and drawers of water – for years, that’s been the rap against Canada’s economy: A one-trick pony, too hooked on natural resources.

For once, we can be thankful for all that oil, base metals, petro-chemicals and potash. As economy watchers close the books on 2013 and crystal-ball next year, it’s clear a stoked resources sector has done much of the heavy lifting to keep Canada out of the worst of the global muck since the economic meltdown of 2008.

Underlining the point, the Conference Board of Canada this week reported Alberta has been our largest contributor to economic growth for the last three years, outpacing the much larger economies of Central Canada. Expect the same in 2014.

Resources, however, are notoriously cyclical, and already we’re seeing signs of a downside including huge layoffs at fertilizer giant Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan and a loonie trading near a three-year low as world demand for our oil and other riches falls. The paradox – in a country that’s also relied on the consumer and government to help us ride out the recession – is that higher growth, in the mid 2% range, is forecast next year.

Grits would offer guarantees to jumpstart Ring: Trudeau – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – December 13, 2013)

December 13, 2013

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

A Liberal federal government would play a key role in helping Ontario develop the Ring of Fire by providing matching funds or loan guarantees similar to those offered in the Upper Churchill to develop infrastructure, says Justin Trudeau.

The Ring of Fire is a tremendous resource not just for Northern Ontario, but for the entire country, said the Liberal Party leader during a visit Thursday to Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre.

“The federal government needs to be part of the infrastructure projects that are going to unlock this great potential,” Trudeau told reporters after a tour of the aboriginal health centre where a chorus of three-year-olds sang to him in Ojibwe.

When asked what he thought about the battle of words between Ottawa and Ontario over who should do what to develop the chromite deposits, Trudeau said too much of politics is focused on finger-pointing. ”People need to sit down together and try to figure out the way to move forward that will be of benefit economically but also for communities, for our first peoples and for the long-term sustainability of our environment as well.”

Time for this political advisor to Butt out – by Rolly Ethier (Inside Bellville.com – November 14, 2013)

December 13, 2013

http://www.insidebelleville.com/bellevilleregion/

Central Hastings News – It wasn’t just coincidence that Liberal leader Justin Trudeau suddenly came out recently and blamed Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the U.S. refusal to allow the Keystone XL pipeline to be built. According to Trudeau, all Harper had to do to sanction the pipeline was to simply become a far-left liberal ideologue like himself by approving a carbon tax, something even the Americans haven’t yet done.

Of course, Trudeau also claimed his main objective is to protect the middle class but he also insists that taxing everyone is the right thing to do.

It wasn’t too surprising to understand where Trudeau is coming from by pushing for still another environmental hit to be imposed on the taxpayers. The carbon tax initiative comes shortly after the Trudeau camp’s selection of Gerald Butts as one of his key advisors. Butts, known as Butthead by his many critics, was the Principal Secretary to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty prior to getting a call from the Trudeau people. He also has his fingerprints all over the Green Energy fiasco and other boondoggles by the provincial Liberals.

So Butts helped to economically destroy one province and now he has his sights on bigger things like the entire country’s economy so we all can become a financial basket case just like the Obama administration.

Miners warned about Indonesia, Brazil, India and South Africa investments – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – December 12, 2013)

December 12, 2013

http://www.mining.com/

A significant increase in conflict, terrorism and regime instability in the Middle East and North Africa, along with deepened global political violence and resource nationalism, are the main risks mining investors will face in 2014, according to a report published Thursday by UK-based risk consultancy Maplecroft.

In its sixth annual Political Risk Atlas (PRA) the analysts tell investors to pay special attention to possible populist moves in Indonesia, Brazil, India and South Africa as national elections in these countries will likely boost resource nationalist rhetoric and policies.

According to Maplecroft close to 10% of the countries studied have shown a significant increase in their risks levels, with foreign investors facing more political violence, resource nationalism and expropriations.

In the last year alone, says the report, the risk of resource nationalism has increased 15% as a consequence of governments attempts to offset the risk of societal unrest through tax increases, tougher regulations or outright expropriation.

Northern Forum nice, but major issues unresolved – by Peter Politis (Timmins Daiy Press – December 10, 2013)

December 11, 2013

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Peter Politis is the Mayor of Cochrane

TIMMINS – Last week’s Northern Leaders’ summit which brought together First Nations, ministers and Northern leaders from across the entire region to exchange on issues, was another good step forward for the North. My congratulations to the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors’ Association, FONOM President Mayor Spacek, along with the province for bringing the group together. Hopefully there is more to come.

It was good to get past the proverbial “hand in the face” approach we’ve been getting from the province up to now, to actually engaging in the intelligent dialogue and issues themselves. It was evident that while there remains diversity in opinion and needs, Northern Leaders are coming together in unity to represent our region together which can only be a good thing.

What continues to concern me is that the major issues remain unresolved. For example: The ONTC passenger rail has been completely divested and the government made it clear they will not bring back passenger rail as they believe standing room only buses are good enough for Northern families, medical patients and students; parks remain closed and will going forward; the provincial caribou policy that sees recovering caribou where they don’t exist at the expense of Northern families and entire town’s remains as it was two years ago despite scientists, environmentalists and mayors coming together to offer a better option;

ONTC selloff costs pegged at $820 million – auditor – by Gord Young (North Bay Nugget – December 11, 2013)

December 11, 2013

http://www.nugget.ca/

The costs associated with selling off the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission could be more than $820 million, something the provincial government was unaware of when it announced plans to divest itself of the Crown agency.

In a report released Tuesday, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk confirmed that the costs and liabilities associated with divestment far outweigh the projected savings of $265.9 million over three years. And she said the province did not clearly or fairly communicate the full impact of selling off the ONTC.

“The government made the divestment announcement before doing a comprehensive business-case analysis,” Lysyk said, in a release after tabling the report. “As a result, the government did not initially have an accurate picture of the possible costs and impacts of the ONTC divestment.”

Lysyk said the estimated known costs and liabilities could be as high as $820 million and that the price could soar even higher when coupled with as-yet-unknown costs of environmental clean-up of ONTC properties and the duty to consult with aboriginal peoples.

MUST READ: Gold – the race for the world’s most seductive metal – by Frik Els (Mining.com – December 10, 2013)

December 10, 2013

http://www.mining.com/

When it comes to putting together a book on a storied subject like gold, the hardest task for the writer is not gathering the material.

It is which tales to leave out. Matthew Hart, author of Gold: The Race for the World’s Most Seductive Metal, does a splendid job of transporting readers from one defining moment in the history of gold to the next. Hart, author of seven books including Diamond and a veteran journalist who has appeared on CNN and 60 Minutes and contributed to Vanity Fair, Globe & Mail and others, had to pick his targets carefully to fit into Gold’s brisk 233-page narrative.

Hart does not find the space to chronicle India’s ongoing love affair with gold, the Bre-X scam of the late Nineties, or today’s headline-making dispute over Europe’s largest gold project in Romania, but the omissions provide Gold with admirable pacing and cohesion.

He often jumps back and forth hundreds or even thousands of years to create an arc that spans from the first gold jewellery created more than 6,000 years ago through vivid descriptions of how Inca gold transformed the European financial system, the “Nixon shock”, the game-changing creation of gold-backed ETFs and right up to how the centre of the gold universe has shifted to China.

Coppercorp remains viable for Superior Copper – by Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – December 9, 2013)

December 10, 2013

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.

Like the legend of the big fish that got away, the giant slab of native copper once witnessed in the depths of the Coppercorp Mine near Sault Ste. Marie is feeding dreams and hopes of a major find for Superior Copper.

Bruce Staines, a registered professional mining engineer sitting on Superior Copper’s board of directors, once saw that slab of copper firsthand. It was difficult to mine back then, but the company believes Coppercorp remains a promising find that could become a producing mine with the right technology.

“We believe there’s potential for a very significant copper discovery,” said Morgan Quinn, vice- president of corporate development. “It’s been underexplored, and we’re fully permitted, and we have agreements with the First Nations. We’re ready to go with our exploration.”

Massive investment will complete Kitimat smelter project – by Richard Gilbert (Journal of Commerce – December 9, 2013)

December 9, 2013

http://www.journalofcommerce.com/

Rio Tinto is planning to invest US$2.7 billion to complete the modernization of its aluminium smelter in Kitimat, B.C., while the company is cutting back on capital spending at projects around the world.

“For nearly 60 years, the smelter has been a major impetus for the economic development of northwest British Columbia,” said Jean Simon, president, primary metal, Rio Tinto Alcan.

“We are very proud to announce this US$2.7 billion investment to complete the modernization project. This is one of the largest private investments in B.C.’s history and it will ensure the sustainability of the aluminium business in Kitimat for decades to come.”

Rio Tinto announced on Dec. 1 that the US$3.3 billion Kitimat modernization project will be completed in 2014.
The project involves the demolition of several buildings on the site of the existing smelter and clearing space for a new plant.

The project began in 2011 and will create 2,500 jobs during the peak period of the construction phase.

Premier promises more Northern meetings – by Benjamin Aubé (Timmins Daily Press – December 7, 2013)

December 9, 2013

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

TIMMINS – Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s visit to Timmins for the first Northern Ontario Leaders’ Forum included a commitment to quarterly meetings between her Northern ministry and municipal and regional leaders.

Michael Gravelle, the province’s Minister of Northern Development and Mines, explained he’d be at meetings approximately every three months with groups such as the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors (NOLUM), and leaders of the First Nations and Métis Nation.

Wynne admitted there was a disconnect between Queen’s Park and the communities and people it services in the North that needs to be fixed.

“Where there are bottlenecks and where there are procedural issues that need to be addressed, having an opportunity to talk about those on a regular basis makes a lot of sense,” said Wynne. “We’re very supportive of Minister Gravelle’s suggestion that those (meetings) happen on a regular basis.”

Way ahead for North is east or west of us – by Karl Lehto (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – December 7, 2013)

December 9, 2013

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

Two articles in the past few days in this newspaper and a Sunday morning Global Television clip concerning the Ring of Fire are in serious need of comment:

1. The Nov. 30 Viewpoint, NWO Prime For Manitoba Power, could be the surprising game changer for Northern Ontario and the entire province.

For years, many have advocated the possibility of importing cheap, green hydroelectric power from Manitoba to our region but were met with resistance due mainly to the political inter-provincial restrictions, some of them greater than international restrictions between Ontario and the United States. And, more recently, others stated Manitoba had no more excess energy to export.

Well, apparently former federal minister of state for transport, Steven Fletcher of Manitoba begs to differ. He claims the real possibility now exists for 1,000 megawatts and up to 6,000 megawatts will be available for export to Ontario or Saskatchewan with the future completion of the Nelson River hydroelectric projects .