I often wonder why mining companies don't do a better job of managing the go forward with FN when it comes to northern resources. We know the government can't or won't. No matter what one wishes or holds as an opinion of whether it’s right or wrong some sort of DEAL has to be accomplished with the FNs to move towards production.

Crazy Trades idea of giving FN an interest in the company is interesting. A refinement that I have thought about many times is to give 5% JV interest in the project that is carried (they don't pay any of the exploration costs) until a production decision is made. Clearly the deal would have to come with conditions on both sides around support, fast tracking, employment, breach of contract, buyout provisions, when ownership transferred etc. The NET would be a supportive partner given it is in the FNs best interest to support exploration and development on a fast track basis. If ownership of the FN JV interest didn't transfer until production commenced or a buyout occurred there would be a significant interest to move the project forward for all the project partners.

If done when a property was staked the initial cost would be a few grand in paper work and forgoing 5% of the properties potential.

For those projects like McFaulds that are successful that 5% of nothing turns into some serious dollars for the FNs and we pay their carried 5% of exploration costs. If the project goes to production FNs have to participate in capital costs or the company loans them the money for their share and recovers it back out of production profits (happens all the time in mining).

When you think about the costs I would give 5% (about $7.5 million based on today’s market cap) of the McFaulds to FNs in return for a faster path to production, for a significant decrease in the risk associated with the project, for no blocades, for elimination of a barrier to government infrastructure money and a 5-10x jump in our market cap the day after it is announced. For sure I would! Think about how much a one year gain in the time to production is worth on a billion dollar plus project ($3-$10 million or more)?

Bottom line is that someone is going to have to figure out how to eliminate the FN activist risk associated with northern projects if we are going to see mining development in the north. I would personally give away 5% of my NOT holdings to achieve a FN supported path to production

.... Been There