NORTH BAY, ON, Sept. 12, 2013 /CNW/ – The General Chairperson’s Association (GCA) representing unionized employees at Ontario Northland is pleased with this week’s decision by the Ontario Mining and Lands Commissioner to dismiss the application by Cliffs Natural Resources for an easement to allow that company to build an all-weather road over mining claims staked by KWG Resources.

“The GCA believes the best, most cost efficient and environmentally responsible manner to provide transportation into and out of the Ring of Fire development for all stakeholders is a railway. A private, provincially funded $700M + road is in no one’s best interest, least of all taxpayers” said GCA spokesperson Brian Kelly

In the fall of 2012, the GCA unveiled a high level proposal that would, in consultation with the Government of Ontario, Government of Canada and First Nations create a new federal crown corporation that would see all ONTC assets including its telecom division ONTERA transferred. This new crown corporation would provide an expanded and revitalized, integrated transportation and communication system across the north while having the ability to obtain financing to design and build a railway into the Ring of Fire that would ship thousands of tons per day of chromite, nickel, other minerals and finished products to markets around the world.

“This Mining and Land Commissioner decision finally quashes this ill-conceived scheme to sink millions upon millions of taxpayer’s dollars into a private road built through muskeg that would require millions upon millions of more tax dollars to maintain the road on a yearly basis. This single purpose road, would do nothing to improve the social and economic development for First Nation’s communities in the region” added Kelly

“We call upon the Minister of Northern Development, Premier Wynne to bring to an end the years of bureaucratic Northern Growth rhetoric and stand up for Northerners and initiate the meaningful dialogue with Federal government and First Nations that is needed to creating significant new job and economic opportunities in Ontario’s North for the benefit of the North” concluded Kelly.

SOURCE General Chairperson’s Association (GCA)

For further information:
please contact Brian Kelly at 705-471-5263

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