Posted By RICK OWEN, NORTHERN NEWS
Posted 6 hours ago
-The Northern Prospectors' Association is reenergizing as it prepares to get its position front and centre during consultations and the development of regulations for the new Ontario Mining Act.
Long time NPA Director Mike Leahy told members at a recent meeting that he would like to see commitment by the organization to the issues and if that doesn't happen they will have no one to blame if they end up under the new regulations needing a permit to sample a pit.
Leahy said he made a commitment and went through the new Mining Act section by section noting his concerns and hoped this would be a starting point for the NPA. He then distributed it to all the directors but only one director replied.
While it is too late to have input on the new Mining Act, which has already passed Leahy said it isn't too late to make comments on the proposed regulations.
He he NPA needs to be prepared of its annual general meeting and for the Mining Act Advisory Committee. Leahy said the person going to the MAAC should be going with a consensus opinion from the NPA.
NPA director Bill McGuinty said there has been no information about the new Mining Act given out since May. He ere is now a workbook that has been issued concerning the consultations on the regulations and suggested that would be a good place for the NPA to start.
Leahy said they need to focus on key issues and one of the key issues in his opinion is the position of Director of Exploration and how he is going to deal with the new Mining Act. He said he does not like the powers the province has given the new director of Exploration.
Leahy said the NPA needs to come up with a position paper and that this position paper can be ready by its February meeting so it can be approved.
