Received this email today. It's encouraging, and sounds like they know who we are. Hopefully some of this stimulus Ca$$$h that the Feds are handing out will come our way.

kn

From: Lucas, Stephen [mailto:Stephen.Lucas@NRCan-RNCan.gc...
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 2:25 PM
To: knhrmr@sympatico.ca
Subject: Northern Ontario Mining Development

Mr. Kenneth Hermer
knhrmr@sympatico.ca

c.c.: Office of the Honourable Gordon O’Connor, P.C., M.P.
Carleton-Mississippi Mills
OconnG@parl.gc.ca

Dear Mr. Hermer:

Thank you for your e-mail of February 5, 2009, regarding the potential for infrastructure and mining development opportunities in northern Ontario. It was forwarded by the Honourable Gordon O’Connor, your Member of Parliament for Carleton-Mississippi Mills to the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. I am responding on behalf of the Minister.

It is encouraging that the many mineral exploration projects in Ontario’s “Ring of Fire”
are successfully attracting investment and that the exploration companies are establishing partnerships with aboriginal communities. It is clear from your letter that there is potential for the generation of broad economic benefits in Northern Ontario if these projects advance to mine development.

Although Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is strongly linked to mineral exploration and the discovery of Canada’s mineral resources through its geological mapping and research programs, it is not involved in mining-related infrastructure funding. However, the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of strategic investments by federal and provincial governments in the creation and upgrading of infrastructure as means to stimulate economic opportunities. In fact, the Government has committed $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding to provinces, territories and municipalities over the next two years as part of the 2009 Federal Budget “Canada’s Economic Action Plan”. As such, I have forwarded your letter to the office of the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, given his responsibilities for federal infrastructure funding programs. I encourage you to engage the Government of Ontario as well.

Again, thank you for writing.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Lucas, PhD
Assistant Deputy Minister
Minerals and Metals Sector
Natural Resources Canada

Stephen Lucas, Ph. D.
Assistant Deputy Minister / Sous-ministre adjoint
Minerals and Metals Sector / Secteur des minéraux et des métaux
Natural Resources Canada / Ressources naturelles Canada
580 Booth St., 10C7-1
Ottawa, ON K1A 0E5
Tel: (613) 992-2490 Fax: (613) 996-7425
slucas@nrcan.gc.ca