KWG Resources Inc.

Ring of Fire

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Premier. Since the government won’t answer a question when it comes to their latest hydro scandal, let’s try a different subject. Let’s try to have a conversation on mining. In May of 2012, the government promised thousands of jobs and new infrastructure for the Ring of Fire. In 2013, the budget promised to improve vital access to the region. Then in 2014, the budget of the province committed $1 billion to the Ring of Fire, and then again, in 2015, the same promise of $1 billion. Surprise, surprise: in the 2016 budget, again a promise—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Sorry. Stop the clock. The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is warned.

Please finish.

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate why the government likes to heckle their record of inaction. In 2016, for a fourth time: a re-announcement of the same funds, but to date not a single cent has gone to the Ring of Fire. The economic benefit to the region and to First Nations communities is incredible, yet this government won’t and hasn’t put a shovel in the ground. Mr. Speaker, my question directly to the Premier is: When are we actually going to see—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know that the Leader of the Opposition doesn’t want to recognize that the work that has been done with the First Nations communities, with the Matawa First Nation, is very important work that had to be done. In fact, the training dollars that have gone into communities, the support that has already begun in order that those communities can be part of the development of the Ring of Fire and can be part of the economic development—I recognize that the Leader of the Opposition doesn’t value that. But that is the work that has been going on, Mr. Speaker.

There has been a serious engagement with those communities to make sure that they are able to take part in economic development and that, as we put shovels in the ground and we build roads, that we build those roads in a way that will connect communities so that, yes, they can be part of the economic development of the Ring of Fire, but much beyond that, that they have the social supports that allow them to take part—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Supplementary? The member from Parry Sound–Muskoka.

Mr. Norm Miller: Again to the Premier: The current government has overseen the entire life of the Ring of Fire mineral deposit to date, from discovery to where we find ourselves today. Reading a press release from 2012, you would have thought that a chromite mine was a done deal. The release proclaims thousands of jobs coming to northern Ontario and has quotes from five ministers, including the current Premier. It boasts of the over 20 mining companies holding claims in the region—a far cry from what we see today. It even goes into detail on a chromite processing facility to be opened in close proximity to the then minister’s own riding.

The government, to date, has truly overpromised and under-delivered on the Ring of Fire. So, Speaker, why should anyone believe that this government is capable of doing what it takes to develop the Ring of Fire?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Northern Development and Mines.

Hon. Michael Gravelle: We are indeed working hard and very diligently to move the progress forward on the Ring of Fire. That means, Mr. Speaker, working with all of our partners, working with industry, working with the federal government and, certainly, as the Premier pointed out, working with our First Nations to move this project forward.

When we signed the regional framework agreement in—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We’re on warnings.

Carry on.

Hon. Michael Gravelle: Mr. Speaker, when we signed the regional framework agreement in 2014 with the Matawa First Nation, we made a commitment to work with them on regional infrastructure, on socio-economic impacts, on resource revenue-sharing. Those are all important discussions that are taking place, and discussions are at a very significant point right now in terms of them partnering with us to make some decisions related to the community corridor study.

May I say to the members of the opposition: If they do not believe we should be having those kinds of conversations with the First Nations, they should say so.

The bottom line is, we are working hard, this is a complicated file, and we are optimistic that we’ll continue to move forward and see progress on—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Final supplementary?

Mr. Norm Miller: Again to the Premier: Premier, I think I’ve heard that answer before from your minister.

Speaker, First Nation communities in the Ring of Fire region are integral to the entire development. They also stand to gain the most from local mining opportunities. Mining employs more indigenous people than any other sector—about 14% of the mining workforce—so it’s important to the communities in the area to see some progress.

Through the Speaker: Other than framework agreements to negotiate, what tangible progress have you made on this important project?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Interjection: I’ll lend you my shovel, Mike.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): That was very risky.

Hon. Michael Gravelle: We recognize that it is crucial that we move forward on transportation infrastructure in the Ring of Fire. That is indeed why we are so keen to move forward with our work with the federal government. This is a nationally significant project, one that deserves federal government support—and that’s the effort we’re making as well.

In terms of the work with industry, there are still a significant number of companies that have expressed tremendous interest in the Ring of Fire. We’re going to work with those industrial partners to help move this project forward.

In terms of the First Nations, this is an absolutely crucial part of our commitment: to make sure that decisions that are made related to what will most directly impact their future development are made also by the First Nations themselves. That’s why it is so crucial that we have those discussions under the regional framework agreement that will make sure the decisions that are made are shared by our partners—not just by the First Nations, but by industry and by the federal government.

We’re keen to keep working hard on this. I’m committed to it, Mr. Speaker—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock.