TORONTO - First Nations communities surrounding a potentially massive chromite deposit in northern Ontario ended their two-month blockade of the Ring of Fire on Friday, a project the government claims is key to the province's economic recovery.
But unless aboriginal concerns are addressed over the next six months of talks, there may be further protests down the road, said one First Nations leader.
"The understanding by all parties is that you have this window of opportunity to resolve the concerns," said Grand Chief Stan Beardy of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations communities that cover two-thirds of the province.
"If they reach an impasse, then I guess they are going to further potential conflicts."
The NAN territories cover 55 million hectares of land, about a third of which has been developed in the last century, he said.
"In that 100-year period, we have not benefited -- none whatsoever," Beardy said in an interview from Thunder Bay.
"We never got any jobs, we never got any economic spinoffs, we never got any wealth. There was no sharing of revenues."
First Nations aren't against resource development, he said. They just want to make sure they benefit from the economic opportunities those projects create and play a key role in all stages of development.
"Unfortunately, we've had to go to extreme lengths to be heard," Beardy said.
The Ring of Fire, a 5,000-square-kilometre area about 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, potentially holds one of the world's largest untapped deposits of chromite, which is used to make stainless steel. It also lies on First Nations territory.
A group of First Nations, angry about what they consider a lack of consultation, set up a blockade in January on the landing strips at Koper and McFaulds lakes, preventing planes used by mining companies from landing in the area.
Members of the Marten Falls and Webequie communities demanded job training and employment for their members, environmental accountability and completion of construction of a new airport in the area.
Chief Cornelius Wabasse of the Webequie First Nation has said he's looking for a firm commitment in the form of a memorandum of agreement that both the mining companies and First Nations can sign.
Their demands haven't been resolved, but the First Nations have agreed to sit down with the mining companies over the next six months to address their concerns.
Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle, whose two-day visit to the area this week factored into the decision to end the blockade, said he's committed to working with aboriginal communities to move forward with the project.
"I have tried my best to make it clear this is an exciting economic development opportunity," he said in an interview from Thunder Bay.
"Clearly it's a priority for our government as evidenced by its inclusion in the throne speech. But we also recognize it needs to be managed in a fashion that is of benefit to all those concerned."
The importance of proper consultations was highlighted late last year when the government had to pay $5 million to settle a lawsuit from platinum exploration company Platinex Inc. over a project on First Nations land.
The company sued the province and the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, or KI, First Nation because KI was allegedly preventing Platinex from gaining access to its claims at the Big Trout Lake exploration property.
Platinex claimed the province failed in its duty to consult with KI and also failed to warn Platinex that it wouldn't enforce the land claims.
Gravelle said the situation was different there because the First Nations made it clear they didn't want any mining on their lands.
The minister visited the communities of Neskantaga and Eabametoong on Wednesday and Marten Falls and Webequie on Thursday, where he met with aboriginal leaders and elders and participated in community feasts.
In Webequie, Gravelle spoke with Wabasse privately to discuss his concerns -- talks that were later conveyed in a forum with the rest of the community.
Gravelle said the highlight of his trip was meeting Chief Elijah Moonias at the Marten Falls airport, who told him that the blockade would be lifted because "real progress" had been made with the government and the mining companies.
The minister said he was also deeply touched by the personal stories the elders shared with him, which illustrated their deep connection to the land.
"It was remarkable listening to elders tell me some of the stories of their personal experiences and their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents experiences," Gravelle said.
"It became even more clear to me then how important it was that we move forward on this potential development in a proper way, in a way that can provide benefits to everyone."
