In 1978 the road to Ft McMurray was a dirt trail with intermittent gravel and a one lane bridge across Wandering River. Trap lines crossed the trail and it was not unusual for a snowmobile, trike or dirt bike to cross it without caution. The local aboriginal population was ignored because of the remoteness of this moose pasture. It took many hours driving with chains on my old two wheel drive to make it up there from the town of Grassland. At that time Syncrude was scratching the surface with a pilot project and trying to sell the concept of real oil from black dirt.

Thirty years later the road has become a superhighway to the fastest growing city and real estate market in Alberta, if not Canada, if not on the AmeriCanadian continent. The original trailer park and hotel are invisible now and the aboriginal population has participated in all aspects of the prosperity from day one.

I read a news release that one of you posted on this board from some bozo in the Ontario government (circa 05/2007) who wanted to restrict growth and progress in the HB Lowlands sighting environmental concerns. Perhaps our group of posters is prematurely optimistic but I for one believe that the Ontario and/or the Canadian government can not ignore the potential benefits of opening up the area and orchestrating the shift of power and influence away from the consumer driven narcissism of the south.

Canada is a country of resources and industry. Our future lies in the north. The discovery of resources has just begun up there. Rail and road access to James Bay, Hudson’s Bay and beyond is a strategic focus for our sovereignty of this land and these resources.

Regardless of the cost.

IMHO