Advancing northwest's vision: Municipal leaders want satisfaction on treaty issues, mineral exploration and energy pricing.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: Cover story

Northwestern Ontario is a treasure trove of untapped mineral wealth with vast opportunities for sustainable development, but Ottawa and Queen's Park must collaborate on.a regional strategy and respect First Nation treaty rights, say community leaders.

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So long as the rapidly industrializing countries of China, India and other lesser developed countries are moving ahead and the demand for natural resources outstrips supply, north-western Ontario should be booming in mining and other sectors, says Dennis Wallace, Kenora's economic development chairman.

But that's not happening.

"Canada and Ontario are not working together as partners on a political level. There's not a common vision for Northern Ontario."

Sustainable development will only happen if Ottawa, Queen's Park and First Nations engage in a "respectful process with the treaties in place," he says.

Virtually all of the northwest's economy is tied to natural resources. But whether communities prosper or fail depends upon government permitting approvals on Crown lands, infrastructure investment and cooperative partnerships with First Nations.

A region that once staked its livelihood on the forestry industry is slowly waking up to the motherlode of potential mineral riches in gold and base metals.

Mineral exploration and logging on Aboriginal territorial land and resource revenue sharing have emerged as development issues stemming from Native blockades in the Whiskey Jack Forest and Big Trout Lake.

Many community leaders are frustrated by the glacial pace at which government moves on economic policy and in resolving disputes.

Holding northern economies hostage

Progress at a snail's pace

In mid-June, senior Ministry of Northern Development and Mines officials were stumping across the North to roll out the McGuinty's government Northern Growth Plan. Community leaders were planning to be out in force armed with the findings of the province's own economic prosperity report prepared by former Lakehead University president Dr. Robert Rosehart.

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With southern Ontario's auto manufacturing economy floundering and the northwest's mining industry still in its fledgling stages, Dryden Mayor Anne Krassilowsky says this is rare opportunity to shape policy doctrine at Queen's Park.

"It's going to be our input that champions what's going to be done."

Krassilowsky knows all about the disconnect between Queen's Park and the North by serving on the Ontario...