NESKANTAGA FIRST NATION, ONT. — On a rock-covered beach in the heart of the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario, Alex Moonias gazes east, then north. All he sees is undisturbed land, water and air.
Some 100kilometres from where he stands, the province plans to build a road as part of its pledge to mine the area, which is said to be rich in metals needed for electric vehicle batteries.
"The government has to come and see the land, or at least spend time with us," he says, breathing in the morning air as water laps the rocky shoreline."The gift the Creator gave us is to protect the land." In Neskantaga, Chief Moonias says the premier has yet to reach out directly to the community to discuss plans for the Ring of Fire. Government promises of prosperity ring hollow, he says.
An all-weather road to a mining development, if it's ever built, also presents concerns. There are plans for several water crossings, including a bridge over the Attawapiskat River. It is working on two possible road projects. One is an access road that will connect it with the provincial highway system to the south. The First Nation is leading an environmental assessment that should be complete in two years, says Chief Bruce Achneepineskum.
He emphasizes that helping lead the environmental assessment is not a tacit approval to mine the region. Marten Falls hopes the proposed road to the provincial highway system will help address those issues, the chief says. The road to the Ring of Fire comes a distant second in priority, he says. Greg Rickford, who runs two ministries — northern development and Indigenous affairs — along with Mining Minister George Pirie and Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli say all of northern Ontario holds the key to economic growth across the province.
Rickford, who spends a lot of his time talking to chiefs across northern Ontario including Neskantaga's leader, believes the government can reach agreement with the opposing First Nations. "We are going to focus very much on expediting the development of Canadian resources," says Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.
Eagle's Nest – if and when it becomes operational – could produce upwards of 15,000 tons of nickel annually. Straub, from Henvey Inlet First Nation south of Sudbury, Ont., understands better than most the needs of Indigenous communities. The company is in direct talks with some First Nations, he says.
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