It's great to see Joe Oliver appointed to the IESO board yesterday

https://news.ontario.ca/mndmf/en/2019/03/joe-oliver-appointed-to-the-board-of-directors-of-the-independent-electricity-system-operator-ieso.html?utm_source=ondemand&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p

notice the IESO request below?

https://theenergymix.com/2019/02/19/ieso-transmission-request-would-boost-ontario-hydro-imports-from-quebec/

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Joe Oliver speech in 2012 at the Economic Club of Canada

https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/speeches/2012/3343

You'll find this part in the link:

RING OF FIRE

We know that Canada has tremendous potential when it comes to natural resources, particularly in mining.

Canada is one of the largest mining nations in the world producing more than 60 minerals and metals.

In addition, Canada is the world’s largest producer of potash, second-largest producer of uranium, and among the top producers of primary aluminum, cobalt, nickel, platinum group metals, titanium concentrate and zinc.

With the help of Canada’s stock exchanges, Canadian-listed companies are responsible for about a half of all global equity raised for mineral development. In fact, almost 60% of the world’s publicly listed mining companies list in Canada on Toronto's TMX.

And we are discovering even greater resource potential as we continue to explore our expansive country, particularly in our North, where we believe there is immense mineral and hydrocarbon wealth.

In a fundamental way, the regulatory system, both north and south of 60, will determine whether Canada will be successful in attracting investment, developing resources, building new infrastructure and supporting our manufacturing and service sectors while also protecting the environment. The potential economic benefit on individuals and their families in this room, this city, this province and this country cannot be overstated.

A new regulatory system will also mean great things for Ontario, a province that is rich in minerals and metals resources. 

In fact, there’s a very good example in northern Ontario, which illustrates the complexities in approving major resource projects and I’d like to spend a moment talking about the Ring of Fire. It is a relatively new mining region in the James Bay lowlands.

This area is attracting significant investment, and it could make Canada a major producer of chromite and ferrochromium for value-added products such as stainless steel and specialized alloys. The region could also potentially replenish Canada’s dwindling reserves of nickel and copper.

For Ontario, this area is of strategic importance since it could open up the entire region to greater prosperity. It has significant potential to create wealth through taxes and royalties for government.

It creates jobs and skills development for the thirty-one local Aboriginal communities and leads to improvements to infrastructure.

Twenty-six exploration companies are currently working in this area. They have mineral claims covering almost 500,000 hectares.

Private sector estimates indicate that the chromite resources there could be worth as much as $50 billion. And there are estimates for deposits of base-metals and platinum-group metals worth as much as $10 billion. There may also be deposits of gold, iron and other minerals in the region. 
     
Now I don’t have to tell you that the James Bay is a remote region. There are no roads, no railway and no power lines. So, everything needed to support development must go through approvals and then it must be built.

All of this, of course, means thousands and thousands of jobs but there are many, many challenges to overcome; however, the good news is investors are on board.

Currently, two projects have been proposed that are expected to create up to 2,000 jobs at any given time.  

The Cliffs Chromite Project is proposing to build a 30-year open pit and underground chromite mine with ore processing capabilities.

Noront’s Eagle’s Nest Project is proposing a 10-year nickel-copper and platinum-group metals mine, also with on-site processing.

Both projects are currently undergoing environmental assessment.

There’s no question that the federal and provincial governments will have to collaborate in many areas if these two mines are to succeed. Infrastructure planning and development; value-added opportunities; targeted measures to facilitate mining development; environmental assessment; Aboriginal capacity-building — these are just a few of the matters that must be dealt with.

Major infrastructure will be needed: access corridors, electrical transmission and community-based infrastructure. The Government of Ontario is also considering options for a new power transmission line. There’s potential for both new road and railway access. Such infrastructure would easily amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

It is my hope that these projects will pass through
our federal and provincial regulatory systems and processes smoothly — but as I said earlier, the track record on major projects shows room for improvement. 

We have to wonder how many would-be investors have seen Canada’s regulatory process and decided to put their money elsewhere — somewhere their money could go to work a little faster.

These are the fundamentals that we need to get right. We need to bring our regulatory regime up to a competitive standard. We have to ensure proper and thorough environmental reviews of major projects but we must put an end to unreasonable delays — delays that can jeopardize the viability of projects and harm our reputation as an attractive place to do business.

Again, I’d like to reinforce with you the fact that our Government is strongly committed to providing a regulatory regime in which all stakeholders can have confidence. I believe the fallout from the U.S. decision on the Keystone XL pipeline has made the importance of this reform abundantly clear.

We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and industry on ways to reduce duplication, tighten timelines, and make other improvements to the regulatory processes for resource projects.

We will also continue to work with aboriginal communities.  Just this week at the Crown-First Nations Gathering in Ottawa, the Prime Minister renewed his ongoing commitment to developing economic opportunities for First Nations – and will stand by that here in Ontario and across the country.

We will also ensure meaningful consultation with affected communities.  And we’ll do all this and more in the context of continued growth.

Here is a wonderful post from Ringer made in 2015..notice Joe Oliver's comment regarding the 23 million over 5 years

https://agoracom.com/ir/Noront/forums/discussion/topics/696445-creen-and-rickford/messages/2168157

a piece of the post below:

"The following excerpts are from page 217 of the 528-page budget tabled in the House of Commons by
the Minister of Finance Joe Oliver yesterday afternoon. I am extremely pleased to report that within
the document $23 million has been pledged, over 5 years, to rare earth and chromite technological
development via Natural Resources Canada.

Unlocking Rare Earth Elements and Chromite Production in Canada
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to allocate $23 million over five years, starting in 2015–
16, from Natural Resources Canada to stimulate the technological innovation needed to
separate and develop rare earth elements and chromite.

The commercial production of rare earth elements and chromite in Canada represents a
significant economic opportunity. Realizing this opportunity will require advances in science
and technology."

my post regarding echelon, years ago.

https://agoracom.com/ir/Noront/forums/discussion/topics/671136-echelon-wealth-partners-inc/messages/2102173

Joe Oliver is still there according to the website

https://www.echelonpartners.com/the-echelon-team