http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3220593

Hudak seeks to make mining king again

Jessica Cable

Miner and News

Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak said it's his goal to once again establish the province as the country's top mining jurisdiction after it fell from a first place ranking in 2001 to seventh in 2010.

Hudak wants to introduce a number of initiatives that are outlined in his northern pre-election platform titled Changebook North, which was released at a press conference in Thunder Bay this past Thursday.

Part of the Tory's pre-election platform is aimed at boosting the province's mining sector by creating job opportunities through the development of Northern Ontario's Ring of Fire, revoking the Liberal's Far North Act, and granting First Nations Communities mining tax revenues from new mines.

Hudak's plans have garnered criticism from opposition leaders following Changebook's release, making mining a hot-button election issue for the first time in several elections, said the Ontario Mining Association's president Chris Hodgson.

"It's a fairly new thing and it's really encouraging to see that all three parties are supportive of mining," Hodgson said. "They're recognizing that the Ontario mining industry is safe and environmentally responsible and provides good economic opportunities for people."

One of Hudak's plans is to scrap the controversial Far North Act, a move supported by KWG Resources Inc., the exploration stage company behind the discovery of the Big Daddy Chromite deposits in Northwestern Ontario's Ring of Fire.

"The premise behind the establishment of the Far North Act is not properly scientifically grounded," said Moe Lavigne, vice-president of exploration and development at KWG Resources.

Scrapping the Far North Act will increase growth in the mining sector while providing economic benefits for First Nations communities, added Lavigne.

"I don't think you can simply alienate a large piece of land like that without conducting proper consultation with First Nations, who are most effected in the area," he said.

While Hudak sees development of the Ring of Fire as Northwestern Ontario's biggest potential for job creation, Lavigne said it should also be a focus for the government to make mineral exploration in the region less risky for mining companies, who must respect First Nations asserting their land rights.

"There's huge money going into mineral exploration and that's increasing, but where that money is going is to locations with the least risk," said Lavigne. "We're not disputing the land rights, but they need to be dealt with properly."

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