Pirie encouraged by Energy and Mines Ministers Conference | The Daily Press

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Pirie encouraged by conference

George Pirie was left inspired by the natural of beauty and warm hospitality of Newfoundland, as well as the prospects of getting the long awaited Ring of Fire project up and running after a recent national conference.

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Andrew Autio/The Daily Press

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Jul 22, 2022  •  4 hours ago  •  4 minute read  •  Join the conversation

Timmins MPP George Pirie, Ontario’s minister of Mines, left, and Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith, Ontario’s minister of Energy, were among the delegates at the 2022 Energy and Mines Ministers Conference held in St. John’s July 7-8. SUBMITTED PHOTO

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George Pirie was left inspired by the natural of beauty and warm hospitality of Newfoundland, as well as the prospects of getting the long awaited Ring of Fire project up and running after a recent national conference.

It brings together government ministers from across Canada, both provincial and territorial, as well as federal, to discuss matters and priorities of the mining and energy sectors.

“As you can imagine, these are two vital files and ministries across the country and with the federal government as well,” Pirie told The Daily Press on Friday.

“It’s a conference that has to happen at least once a year.”

Pirie indicated while the conference was officially two days long, his business in St. John’s lasted most of the week, as they arrived a few days early to have some pre-conference consultations.

During the formal event, he said it was an uplifting experience to hear Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s minister of Natural Resources, talk with plenty of urgency as one of the keynote speakers.

“A sense of urgency with Ukraine and what it means to energy supply and a sense of urgency with climate change and a sense of urgency to transform our economy to a greener economy,” Pirie said.

“That was theme I picked up right off the bat.

“It was very refreshing to hear that, and I think we started off on very solid footing. We have that shared sense of urgency.”

Pirie travelled with Todd Smith, Ontario’s minister of Energy and MPP for Bay of Quinte, to the conference, and he stressed how intertwined mining and energy truly are.

“We’re looking at energy sources and of course one of the sources we’re talking about is nuclear,” he said.

“We’ve got, and the country has, an abundance of uranium deposits.”

Pirie noted a big driver of the latest provincial campaign was transitioning to a greener economy in Ontario and further implementation of the Critical Minerals Strategy, which is focused almost entirely on rare earth elements, will be vital.

“It’s the materials required to transform to a green economy and build batteries,” he said.

“That’s a huge element of the role that Northern Ontario is going to be playing, not only in the local economy, but Canada, and the globe.

“We’ve got everything needed to lead the charge, and be a world leader.”

Pirie is feeling more optimistic than ever.

“It was a really invigorating conference,” he said.

“I think everyone around that table, there is a belief that we can make this happen.”

Pirie indicated the Ring of Fire, a massive deposit of rare earth minerals and chromite deep in the Northern Ontario wilderness, was talked about extensively at the conference.

One of the biggest hurdles remaining are road and rail accesses to the region.

“We need a partner in the federal government to help with cost sharing to build these roads, and quite frankly, I think we’ve got that,” he said.

“I think you’ll see that happen.”

Pirie noted there are willing partners with the Indigenous communities in the region, who stand to benefit through economic development.

He suggested Northern Ontario is a crucial part of a national strategy to combat climate change.

“If we’re going to go green, we need to be mining,” Pirie said.

“To go from talking about climate action, to actually doing things about it, we need to mine these critical minerals that will be required.”

It was Pirie’s first trip to Newfoundland.

He has travelled throughout other parts of the Atlantic provinces, but found a certain aura not long after arriving in St. John’s.

“It grabs your soul,” Pirie said.

“The northern Atlantic is right there and it’s pounding against the coast. The people are great. The food is great. The hospitality is great.”

Regarding Pirie’s constituency office in Timmins, he noted progress is moving along quickly and staff has been hired.

“I’m really happy we’ve been able to get so much done so quickly,” he said.

“There’s only a few of us (newly elected MPPs) who have had to find space, get the lease, renovate the space and set up a working office.”

It will be located on Waterloo Road, next to the Hollinger Court retail plaza.

Pirie has also been very pleased with the early weeks of the new Ministry of Mines office in Toronto.

“We’ve got an exceptionally good staff who are familiar with the mining file,” he said.

“We’re working with brilliant people.”

Next week, Pirie will be travelling up to the Ring of Fire area, followed by a brief visit in Timmins with another government minister.

The Ontario Legislature will be back in session on Monday, Aug. 8.

“It’s flying,” Pirie said.

“There never seems to be enough hours in the day, but things are coming along.”