The Ring of Fire bulldozer is here. Will it work?

• Author: Cirtwill, Charles
• Position: Think Tank

During the provincial election, then candidate (now Premier) Doug Ford famously promised to come to the Ring of Fire and drive a bulldozer if that was what was needed to get the development moving. With the abandonment of the Framework Agreement and the return to individual nation-to-nation arrangements, he has done just that.

It is clear that the province has determined, after years of effort by at least three different governments, that the way forward is in working with willing partners. In this way, key pieces of infrastructure can be put in place while negotiations continue in other parts of the region. In the end, the hope would be that the pieces fit together into a cohesive whole.

It is equally clear that at least some of the First Nations in the region share this view. This may be because of their relative need for new investment. It is possible, after all, to see the Ring of Fire as the only option for a new future for many communities. In other cases, it could simply be that the community itself has collectively come to a firm decision to move forward. They have done years of their own work assessing the opportunities and risks associated with attracting these investments.

The shift has born early fruit. Marten Falls and Aroland First Nations are now equity shareholders in Noront Resources, the leading player in the Ring of Fire. Road projects headed by Marten Falls and Webequie have new energy and may soon see environmental approvals and, finally, "shovels in the ground." Even the announcement of the new smelter location in Sault Ste. Marie can be seen as contributing to this new energy. Given its timing, that announcement was likely, at least in part, spurred by the knowledge of the overall change in negotiating direction.

Of course, it could be argued that the province is simply pitting one First Nation against another, using crushing social and economic conditions--conditions for which the province and the country carry a considerable amount of blame--as leverage to get these assets built and to open the region to exploration and exploitation. Ensuring that is not the case will be the role of the various governments involved First Nation and non-First Nation governments alike. The courts have also demonstrated a willingness to intervene when things go astray and they can be trusted to do so again, if necessary.

In any case, this...