Professor Woland, you wrote of your Finance (Federal) friend's belief :

"The federal Conservatives contend that there's plenty of money currently available under various infrastructure development funds - all the Libs have to do is ask for it. But, for some reason, they won't. They won't file an application."

and then,

"The situation, IMO, is crystal clear. Kathleen Wynne is anti-mining and anti-development. She has no reason, motive or incentive to develop the ROF. It's a world away and is out of sight, out of mind. Demonizing Harper and calling for special treatment allows her to do nothing while looking like she's supportive of the project"

The way I initially interpreted the political jockeying between the Feds and the Provincial Liberals was that , the Feds essentially told the Province "this is how much money you are being allocated for various infrastructure funds , and there will be no extra carved out specifically for ROF development. You (Ontario) must decide how you are going to spend your "allowance".....it is totally your call as to how you prioritize your spending. If you choose not to spend 1 billion dollars (or a portion therof) of those funds on the ROF, then you are solely to blame...the money is there "

That sort of attitude would be completely transparent and disengenuous as it would fail to recognize that most of the existing funds may have already been promised/ budgeted for other projects, and it would seek to misdirect the issue that the Ring of Fire deserves its' own separate funding as a project of national significance. The Feds cannot reasonably expect to taut the project as one of national significance, and expect to receive taxation revenue (directly and indirectly) from such a project, whilst meanwhile merely paying lip service by not putting their money where their mouth is.

Thus I don't at all think that they (the Feds ) would seriously take that stance...it really would be too transparent , and Ontarians are not that naive to not see through such a stance.

It only makes sense that the Feds are indeed waiting for the "business plan" to be fully elucidated, before commiting funding. To do so otherwise would be political suicide.

Whether or not Kathleen Wynn is "anti-mining and anti-development" I have no idea , as I haven't followed her political career. Others on this forum are much more qualified than I to comment on this.

Cheers,

Luker