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Shoe on the other foot for Thunder Bay’s Gravelle – by Adam Radwanski (Globe and Mail – September 9, 2011)

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

For the web’s largest database of articles on the Ring of Fire mining camp, please go to: Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

THUNDER BAY – For most of his political career, Michael Gravelle has been seen as a fighter for his hometown of Thunder Bay – a little guy, literally and figuratively, standing up to those who would neglect Ontario’s Far North.

This fall, he’s fighting charges that he’s the one doing the neglecting.

Such is the mixed blessing of spending the past four years as Northern Development Minister for a government perceived not to have done enough to develop the region. So what was once one of the safest Liberal seats in the province is now up for grabs, with Mr. Gravelle one of several northern Liberal MPPs fighting for their political lives.

But who the real contenders are in Thunder Bay-Superior North, a sprawling riding that includes half of northwest Ontario’s largest city and some more far-flung communities, is less clear.

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Hydro, HST will affect vote [in Northwestern Ontario] – by Christina Blizzard (Toronto Sun – August 30, 2011)

Christina Blizzard is the Queen’s Park columnist for the Toronto Sun, the city’s daily tabloid newspaper.  christina.blizzard@sunmedia.ca

Devastating downturn in forestry industry hurts Thunder Bay

THUNDER BAY — For Mary Kozorys, the soaring price of electricity isn’t just a wedge issue to be exploited in an election. She chokes up when she talks about how hydro rates have hurt people.

Kozorys, the NDP candidate in Thunder Bay-Atikokan, was door-knocking in a blue-collar part of town.

“We’ve had an unusually hot summer for the north,” Kozorys explained. “The door was open and the lady beckoned me into the living room. In front of her was a fan … She said, ‘I’m sitting here and I can’t afford to plug this fan in any longer. I have to make a choice whether or not I pay all of my utility bills, or I pay part of my utility bills and I eat.’”

Kozorys has known the family for years. They’d owned a small business. When the economy took a nosedive, they were forced to close.

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Mill closures will haunt Liberals – by Christina Blizzard (Toronto Sun – September 01, 2011)

Christina Blizzard is the Queen’s Park columnist for the Toronto Sun, the city’s daily tabloid newspaper.  christina.blizzard@sunmedia.ca

THUNDER BAY — The battle in Northern Ontario for the hearts and minds of voters in the Oct. 6 election is being waged on many fronts here.

It’s about forestry and wood allocations. About mining and resources. And the Far North Act, which critics say will strangle development and turn economically-productive forestry and mining areas into parkland.

Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Mike Gravelle is the Liberals’ Minister of Northern Development. He’s taking flak for making changes to the wood allocation system — the lifeblood of mills.

Like many others, the Buchanan Mill in Atikokan was idled following the housing downturn in the U.S. and was recently put into receivership.

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[NDP] Changing the rules [for resourse development in northern Ontario] – (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal Editorial – August 10, 2011)

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

ONTARIO NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is courting northern votes by proposing to protect and create northern jobs. It’s a familiar pledge. Few northerners will argue with her value-added intentions, announced in Thunder Bay Tuesday. But forcing industry’s hand at a time when industry is fond of simply moving to the cheapest jurisdiction goes against all that free trade and globalization, such as they are, strive for. It’s a tide that will be hard to turn.

Horwath says that if an NDP government is elected in October, it will ensure that Ontario’s natural resources stay in Ontario to create value-added forestry and mining jobs and give northern communities and First Nations a chance to share in more of the prosperity the North creates.

Horwath unveiled plans to fix forestry tenure rules to give communities more control over wood allocations. And she would amend the Mining Act so resources mined in Ontario cannot be exported if they can be processed in Ontario.

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A genuine emergency [Fire in northwestern Ontario] – (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal Editorial – July 21, 2011)

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

A TELLING perception about evacuations from Northwestern Ontario’s fast-moving forest fire situation reportedly came from Grand Chief Stan Beardy. Gazing in disbelief Wednesday at a fire map dotted with more than 100 little red arrows representing fires licking close to some Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities, Beardy reportedly told Mayor Keith Hobbs that there’s a perception among evacuees that Thunder Bay doesn’t want to take in any more of them. Nothing could be further from the truth. But Hobbs said an absence of provincial co-ordination had left both men wondering who would take charge of a situation that’s been turning more desperate by the hour.

Thousands of people have been flown out of northern reserves on federal military aircraft headed for Thunder Bay and a number of other transfer points. Thunder Bay, at least, quickly turned into a pinch point because provincial aircraft that were expected to move them out to other communities haven’t been arriving in time.

Hobbs, Beardy and Thunder Bay Fire Chief John Hay were struggling Wednesday to deal with an emergency that hadn’t been declared. Beardy asked why the province hasn’t announced one while Hobbs and Hay were trying to coordinate evacuees pouring into the city with nowhere to go. All three men were calling provincial officials to step up co-ordination but they were getting nowhere.

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Mining company, (Constance Lake) First Nation leadership end dispute – by Leith Dunick (tbnewswatch.com)

www.tbnewswatch.com

Aubrey Eveleigh, president and CEO of Zenyatta Ventures Ltd., points out an area of dispute, known as the Albanry Project. The company on Monday finalized an agreement with Constance Lake First Nation that will allow the junior mining firm’s exploration plans to go ahead. Prestige Limousine

A Thunder Bay-based junior mining company’s three-month dispute with Constance Lake First Nation is over. Aubrey Eveleigh, president and CEO of Zenyatta Ventures, said the agreement was finalized on Monday, a deal which will give his company the right to proceed with the Albany Project, a claim staked about 45 kilometres west of Hearst.

In return they’ve made concessions to the First Nation community of 1,400, including preferential consideration for job opportunities and contributions to a fund to benefit Constance Lake’s elders and youth.

“We’re quite happy that it’s over with now and we’re both moving forward to help explore in the area known as the Albany Project,” Eveleigh said.

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Northern Ontario Policy Advice for Tim Hudak – by Livio Di Matteo (July 14, 2011)

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/

Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak is in Thunder Bay today and along with an appearance at The Hoito will also be addressing a luncheon being sponsored by the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce.  According to the most recent poll by Ipsos-Reid, Mr. Hudak’s Conservatives hold an 11 point lead over the Liberals overall but have even stronger support outside of the GTA.  Even Northern Ontario apparently has Mr. Hudak in the lead.  However, it is only July and the election is not until October and given the voting tradition in the North, red and orange rather than blue are the usual autumn colours. Perhaps, Mr. Hudak will prove them wrong.  Nevertheless, internal party polling must have revealed this trend earlier, which is why this week also saw more aggressive Liberal ads attacking Tim Hudak.

Mr. Hudak, should he become premier, will certainly have his hands full given Ontario’s productivity challenge, Ontario’s infrastructure challenge and Ontario’s fiscal challenge.  Moreover, there is also Ontario’s northern economic development challenge.  What policy suggestions would Northern Economist like to leave with Mr. Hudak?

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Master Plan To Destroy Northern Ontario – by Gregory Reynolds (Highgrader Magazine – Summer 2011)

This column was originally published in the Late Summer, 2011 issue of Highgrader Magazine which is committed to serve the interests of northerners by bringing the issues, concerns and culture of the north to the world through the writings and art of award-winning journalists as well as talented freelance artists, writers and photographers.

The recent annual meeting of Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) heard a great deal of comment, and concern, expressed about the Ontario government’s love affair with Greater Sudbury and Thunder Bay. Speakers claimed these two cities appear to be favoured when the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty doles out assistance to the North.

That the two largest centres are special, even privileged, should not have been a surprise to those in attendance.

Members of Timmins city council should have been least surprised since famous prospector, and equally famous outspoken advocate for Northern Ontario, Don McKinnon presented each of them with two documents in 2004: The Master Plan to Destroy Northern Ontario; and Addendum to The Master Plan to Destroy Northern Ontario.

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Northern Asymmetry: Comparisons Between Ontario and Quebec Attitudes to Northern Development – by Livio Di Matteo (June 28, 2011)

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/  

The most recent point of comparison between Ontario’s Northern Growth Plan and Quebec’s Plan Nord lies in the difference in marketing.  Quebec’s Premier Jean Charest is in Europe promoting Quebec’s economic development as well as Quebec’s Plan Nord.  He will be visiting England, Belgium and Germany during the course of this week promoting Quebec but more importantly promoting northern economic development in the mining and resource sectors.

Of course, Quebec”s plan is quite easy to market given the dynamic and assertive nature of its language and content.  Charest says that the Plan Nord could lead to 11 new mining projects during the next few years as well as 80 billion dollars in public and private investment.  Charest is also planning to visit China and Japan this month to promote the Plan Nord.

On the other hand, Ontario is not promoting its northern development and its Northern Growth Plan in as engaged a fashion as Quebec.  Why?  Well, Ontario’s plan for the most part is a rather bland collection of plans to engage in further planning.  It is difficult to market boring platitudes in a manner that does not put your audience to sleep.  While Northern Ontario politicians have to sit through provincial government summits and seminars that endlessly repeat the same empty statements in order to demonstrate their fealty to Queen’s Park, international financiers and politicians would simply leave the room.

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[Thunder Bay] Ring of Fire session jam-packed – Chronicle-Journal (June 23, 2011)

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

Those looking for a piece of the Ring of Fire mining project action crammed a Thunder Bay conference hall on Wednesday while a small group of employees who walked off the job at the mining camp protested outside the Valhalla Inn.

The Ring of Fire infrastructure conference has brought “a wide range of different parties together,’’ said Christine Kaszycki, the province’s Ring of Fire co-ordinator and assistant deputy Northern Development, Mines and Forestry minister.

“First Nations, municipalities, provincial and federal government agencies, and environmental groups as well, to really begin doing some collective thinking, particularly the infrastructure requirements in the far north,” are in the city for the conference, she said.

Kaszycki said the goal is to get a grip on the key considerations for the project, identify common ground and start thinking about short-, medium- and long-term goals.

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NEWS RELEASE: Project Manager, Mining Services Announced for the Thunder Bay CEDC

June 17, 2011 – The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) is pleased to announce the appointment of John Mason as Project Manager, Mining Services. The appointment follows an extensive search.

Mr. Mason has 36 years of service with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry and has published numerous geological reports. He is well-known for his in-depth knowledge and skills in the Ontario and Canadian exploration and mining sector and for his exceptional ability to market Ontario’s vast mineral potential. He is a Registered Professional Geoscientist with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Geology degree from Lakehead University. Mr. Mason officially assumed his duties at the Thunder Bay CEDC on Monday, June 13, 2011.

“John’s mining expertise dramatically contributes to the bench strength of the CEDC, the strategic importance of the mining resource sector and to the goals of the CEDC’s Strategic Plan to realize the full economic investment potential and job creation for the region and for the Province of Ontario,” said Steve Demmings, CEO of the CEDC.

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Making Change: A Northern Ontario Declaration – by Livio Di Matteo (Jun 10, 2011)

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/  

Next week’s summits in Thunder Bay and Sudbury still seem to be suffering from divergent points of opinion as to what their purpose is.  On the one hand, the province has billed it as a Think North II Summit which implies yet another consultation.  Northwestern leaders as embodied by the Joint Task Force (JTF) see it as a Regional Economic Planning Zone Pilot Project Summit and some of their background reports suggest they are looking for more devolution of decision making authority.  Perhaps the JTF is not making its point strongly enough because it is not being very assertive in its language. 

At the risk of coming across as yet another academic postulating from their ivory tower, let me suggest that perhaps at next week’s Think North II Summit in Thunder Bay there needs to be a change in thinking on the part of the region’s leaders.  Rather than enjoy a couple of days off from their day jobs savoring snacks and participating in yet another facilitated consultation that generates more reports as an input into yet another consultation, it is time for our political leaders to make a difference.   Rather than sit through yet another workshop whose questions have been designed by Queen’s Park, the participants to this conference should take a page out of history, find a tennis court to gather on, and make a Northern Declaration that:

The peoples of Northern Ontario, making common cause to ensure a better future for our children in this land we call home, have come together in partnership to speak and act with one voice.  We assert that Northern Ontario constitutes a distinct economic, social and geographic space within Ontario as embodied by its historic development. 

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New Vision for Northern Ontario – by Livio Di Matteo (Jun 8, 2011)

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/

Next week is the Think North II Summit designed to bring together decision makers and opinion leaders in yet another consultation emanating from the one Northern Growth plan to rule them all that was forged and tempered in the fires of Queen’s Park by the Ontario government.  According to the recent update from the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, The Think North II Summit is “an opportunity for northerners to be actively engaged in shaping the framework for regional economic planning areas in Northern Ontario” and will feature hands-on workshops on “crafting a vision for regional economic development planning in Northern Ontario” as well as create “strategies for collaboration.” 

There will even be the obligatory S.W.O.T. analysis to identify the strategies, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the “change” represented by regional economic planning.  The “threat” of change is a particularly amusing concept given that this entire process continues a process of consultation that has been ongoing for decades with not much change.  To date, the major obstacles to change in the North have been the policies of the provincial government itself which have hampered the ability of the region to take charge of its own development. Never mind regional economic planning, a regional government for the North with power over economic and resource matters is decades overdue. 

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Thinking About the Ontario North: Too Many Planners or Too Many Plans? – by Livio Di Matteo

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/

The process of Northern Ontario economic development has recently taken an even more convoluted turn given what seems to be a proliferation of task forces, steering committees and summits in the wake of the release of the Northern Growth Plan and the recent provincial budget.  There has been a call for the establishment of “pilot economic development planning areas” in Northern Ontario and regional leaders here in the Northwest decided that there needed to be another group to steer this process and formed the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Northwestern Ontario Economic Development Planning. 

The JTF (not to be confused with JTF2 which is the Canadian Armed Forces Special Operations Force) is to play a lead role in developing a proposed model and implementation plan for regional economic planning in northwestern Ontario.

The JTF joins the Northern Ontario Development Network (NODN), the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), the City of Thunder Bay (CTB), Common Voice Northwest (CVNW) and the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) together to begin a process with counterparts in Northeastern Ontario who no doubt also have a large number of organizations with confusing acronyms.

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A life of hope and hopelessness [for Aboriginal communities] – (Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal Editorial – May 13, 2011)

The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario. This editorial was originally published on May 13, 2011. 

BLARING headlines suggested then confirmed what many people in this city and this region had feared — that 15-year-old Jordan Wabasse had indeed died under the water of the Kam River.

Body Recovered, read the bold headline Wednesday, accompanied by a grim photo of the scene at shore. Body ID’d, read Thursday’s headline, an abbreviation for an abbreviated life.
News is harsh as often as it is good, and it is our responsibility to convey all of it to our readers. But in pressing to present details, we can be seen to override the sanctity that a moment like this deserves. Not intentionally, but by striving to write all of the chapters of an important story.

The tale of the disappearance of this aboriginal boy has been covered here extensively because it needed telling in all its tragic detail. Jordan came to Thunder Bay from remote Webequie, one in a parade of aboriginal youth seeking education, opportunity and adventure in the big city far away. Webequie is one of scores of dots on the northern map connected to the rest of Canada by planes, winter roads and TV and computer screens that beckon curious minds.

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