Hampton to advise federal NDP on Ring of Fire


thesudburystar.com
Wednesday, November 5, 2014

A self-confessed "recovering politician", who was Ontario New Democratic Party leader for 13 years and represented Kenora-Rainy River for 24 years, has been appointed special advisor to federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair for the Ring of Fire.

Howard Hampton has worked the last three years for Fasken Martineau law firm, advising mining and forestry companies in Northern Ontario about how to work with First Nations.

Since 2011, Hampton has been involved in discussions with First Nations, mining companies such as Cliffs Natural Resources and Noront Resources, and engineering firms that conduct environmental assessments and do mine construction.

While Hampton will be contracted to advise the federal NDP, he said he has watched in recent years as the Government of Ontario has "dropped the ball a number of times and made a number of miscues" in trying to develop the chromite deposits 540 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.

His take on the federal is that "it is just not engaged" in Ring of Fire discussions, said Hampton, and has been largely absent from them.

"Governments are supposed to show some leadership and governments are supposed to bring people together. That hasn't happened," he said in a telephone interview.

Hampton has worked with some First Nations in and around the Ring of Fire for 25 years, since he entered provincial politics.

After 2003, when the Ring of Fire first got on the public agenda, he had many meetings with First Nations leaders before retiring from politics.

"Almost all of the First Nations that claim the area as their traditional territory are in my former provincial constituency so I met with them often and got to know their issues, their positions," said Hampton.

Part of the 5,000-square-kilometre Ring of Fire is located in the provincial riding of Timmins-James Bay, the rest in the provincial riding of Kenora-Rainy River and the federal riding of Kenora, he said.

Hampton's job will be to consult, mostly with First Nations but with companies and other communities as well, about what they believe the federal government must do to move the Ring of Fire forward.

While mining is a provincial responsibility, First Nations fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

The Ring of Fire represents three great opportunities, said Hampton -- the opportunity to do the right thing for the environment, to do "the right kind of work with First Nations" and a huge economic opportunity for Ontario and all of Canada.

Developing the project correctly is also an opportunity to say to the world: "This is how these kinds of things should be done and should be done right."

As MPP and working as a lawyer, Hampton said his sense is that the federal government appears reluctant to engage with First Nations.

The federal Conservatives seem to have taken the position: "Let the province do everything or let Ontario take this on, and if it doesn't go anywhere, then Ontario will wear it."

Part of what Hampton wants to talk to First Nations about "is their sense of why the federal government has been so missing in action."

His job is to be constructive and put together "a picture of how can move forward in the right way."