The provincial government has appointed former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Frank Iacobucci as lead negotiator on behalf of Ontario in discussions with Chiefs of the Matawa Tribal Council on resource developments in the Ring of Fire.

Iacobucci looks forward to community-based discussions on regional considerations with the Chiefs of the Matawa Tribal Council and their lead negotiator, Bob Rae, according to an Ontario government press release. Iacobucci hopes to be invited to visit the Matawa First Nations communities closest to the proposed resource developments in the Ring of Fire to address the following priorities:

• Environmental protection and monitoring
• Regional infrastructure planning and development
• Resource revenue sharing
• Social and economic supports

In order for development to start on the Ring of Fire, a mineral-rich area located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario being extensively explored, agreements must first be reached with Native groups and the province.

Cleveland-based Cliffs Natural Resources wants to mine chromite at its Black Thor deposit in northwestern Ontario. It would then ship the chromite to the Capreol smelter, where it would be refined into ferrochrome, which is used to make stainless steel.

The Ring of Fire has the potential to create close to 1,000 new jobs, including 400 to 500 at a chromite smelter that Cliffs wants to build near Capreol.