Rickford in hot seat over Far North pro-development stance: Neskantaga, Eabemetoong want more discussion, greater say on Ring of Fire process.

• Date: 01 January 2019
• Author: Ross, Ian

Greg Rickford took considerable heat from leaders of two remote First Nation communities that feel they've been left out of the loop in discussions to industrialize the Far North.

At a Nov. 21 assembly of Ontario Chiefs, Neskantaga's Wayne Moonias and Eabemetoong's Elizabeth Atiookan scolded the minister of energy, mines, Northern development and Indigenous affairs for isolating them from talks surrounding the construction of roads into the Ring of Fire.

Rickford's remarks about building a "corridor for prosperity" with road and hydro corridors to spin off regional economic development opportunities raised the anger of Atlookan, who felt the government isn't taking into account her community's concerns about the impact of mining on the land.

"You can't say here it's not about the Ring of Fire. Ultimately, that's what this (north-south) road is all about," she said.

"It's not so much about us. It's about prosperity. You're cutting red tape so you can move this along real quickly."

The communities are...