With all due respect, I believe that the First Nations community at Attawapiskat negotiated and the majority voted in favour of an Impact Benefits Agreement (IBA) prior to commencement of mining at the Victor Mine. Now it appears that certain factions within that community want to renegotiate the existing IBA. Many of the issues which they have raised, e.g. housing, education, etc were serious problem areas pre-DeBeers.......these were and still are the responsibilities of the Provincial and Federal Governments.

This type of activity by First Nations is of major concern to the mining industry....you negotiate in good faith and then have it thrown back into your lap over and over again. This type of uncertainty does not go unnoticed by the exploration and mining companes who factor these unwelcome and unpredictable outcomes into their risk assessments.....too high a risk=reluctance to spend major exploration $$ and certainly development $$$$$$$$.

Respectfully submitted

geoprof