This article came out yesterday. Not much new in it, "Cliffs is still assessing and evaluating a number of alternative locations to select a preferred site to locate and develop the prospective ferrochrome production facility.

City pleads its case with Cliffs

By HAROLD CARMICHAEL, THE SUDBURY STAR

Posted 10 hours ago

The City of Greater Sudbury has made its initial case to Cliffs Natural Resources to land a proposed ferrochrome production facility, but neither side will get into specifics about how things went at a meeting at the mining company's head offices in Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday.

"The meeting was productive and it was a great opportunity to meet with the Cliffs team," Mayor Marianne Matichuk said in a release Tuesday.

The release went on to say the "very preliminary meeting" was an information exchange and that the mayor and her staff team will continue to work with Cliffs as they continue their deliberations.

The release also said that "respecting business practices and the fact that Cliffs is still evaluating various site options, details of the meeting cannot be disclosed."

Cliffs Natural Resources is looking at numerous communities across Northern Ontario in which to locate a ferrochrome processing facility to handle chromite ore from its Black Thor deposit in the Ring of Fire area of northwestern Ontario.

What is working in Greater Sudbury's favour is that it has been cited by Cliffs as a "base case" for such a plant, Cliffs officials visited Moose Mountain, a brownfield site north of Capreol, earlier in the year, and that the city has considerable mining expertise and a vibrant mining supply and services sector.

Last week, city said it would argue that Sudbury is the best place for the facility because the community is a world-mining centre.

Pat Persico, Cliffs Natural Resources' senior manager of media relations and marketing, said in a statement Tuesday that the company will not comment on the ferrochrome production facility issue until a decision on a location is made.

"Cliffs understands that there are many interested stakeholders following this project," she said in an email.

"At this time, we do not have updated information to share publicly about Cliffs Chromite Project located in the Ring of Fire nor any business meetings with various cities.

"With a project of this scale, there are many milestones and approvals to achieve and the ferrochrome production facility is one component of the entire project. Cliffs is still assessing and evaluating a number of alternative locations to select a preferred site to locate and develop the prospective ferrochrome production facility.

"When we arrive at a decision for the (ferrochrome production facility) site, we will make a public announcement."

The facility would create up to 500 jobs when up and running. Other cities seeking to land the proposed facility include Thunder Bay, Timmins and Greenstone.

A report commissioned by the Municipality of Greenstone, which was released last week, concluded that a ferrochrome refinery built at Exton would be technically, environmentally and economically feasible. Exton is located adjacent to the railway in the Municipality of Greenstone between Nakina and the Aroland First Nation.

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Wednesday, 28 September 2011 13:01

Ontario: Northern First Nations Come Together To Sign A Declaration For Implementation Of The Oral Treaty Seven Matawa First Nations and Seven Mushkegowuk First Nations have signed a declaration to work together to achieve the implementation of the Oral Treaty. The Chiefs Declaration states that we are “...committed to exercising our inherent and treaty rights, without limitations imposed by others. We will consider the use of any options to ensure that the development of our homelands occurs only with the free, informed and prior consent of our First Nations.” “Implementation of the Oral Treaty is long overdue,” said Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation. “For over 100 years we have kept the promises we made to the Crown Governments of Ontario and Canada. Now they will have to acknowledge, respect, and abide by the promises they made to us. From now on, the First Nations that signed this declaration will be living by the Oral Treaty. That means we do not go by the written treaty document, but by the actual promises that were made to us at the time Treaty No. 9 was signed.” The James Bay Treaty (Treaty No. 9) was one of the last numbered treaties to be signed in Canada. It is the only treaty in Canada that was signed by a province. It was first signed in 1905 and 1906 by the Canadian Government, the Ontario Government, and the Cree, Ojibway and Algonquin Nations of what is now known as Northern and Northwestern Ontario. The Nations who signed in 1905-06 included those people occupying the area south of the Albany River. Adhesions with the remaining Cree and Ojibway Nations north of the Albany River were signed in 1929 and 1930. “The Cree and Ojibway people have used oral tradition to pass down to each generation the promises which were made by the Treaty Commissioners to our People, and the promises that were made by our people to the Crown. Those promises did not include giving up our land or our right to govern ourselves,” said Mushkegowuk Grand Chief Stan Louttit. “This declaration will be an important tool for unity which we will use to protect our rights, which include the right to give or withhold consent on any activity taking place on our lands.” “The right to consultation and accommodation, which stems from the written treaty and our First Nation inherent rights, is enshrined in Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act, 1980. Our Oral Treaty rights are just as significant and just as binding,” said Chief Celia Echum of Ginoogaming First Nation. “The People of Matawa and Mushkegowuk have had ties with each other since time immemorial. We are pleased to work together on implementation of the Oral Treaty.” Matawa is a Tribal Council with a membership of nine Ojibway and Cree First Nation communities in Northern Ontario. Five Matawa First Nations are remote and are currently accessible only by air or winter ice road. Matawa First Nations Management provides advisory services and program delivery to Matawa First Nations. Mushkegowuk Council has a membership of seven Cree First Nations, four in the James Bay Costal area, and three First Nations south of the 50th parallel. It provides political advocacy and advisory services for its member First Nations. The James Bay Treaty area encompasses almost two thirds of Ontario. Declaration First Nation Signatories Mushkegowuk First Nations Chapleau Cree First Nation Moose Cree First Nation Taykwa Tagamou First Nation Missanabie Cree First Nation Fort Albany First Nation Kashechewan First Nation Attawapiskat First Nation Matawa First Nations Aroland First Nation Constance Lake First Nation Ginoogaming First Nation Long Lake #58 First Nation Neskantaga First Nation Nibinamik First Nation Webequie First Nation Source: Matawa First Nation Tags: Ontario Matawa Mushkegowuk treaties FPIC First Nations



"When we arrive at a decision for the (ferrochrome production facility) site, we will make a public announcement."

What is interesting is the timing of the news release I posted below it. The key words, "This declaration will be an important tool for unity which we will use to protect our rights, which include the right to give or withhold consent on any activity taking place on our lands.”

Because of the timing, it seems to me that it serves the purpose of reminding Cliffs that decisions made about a preferred site are not theirs alone to make.