Marten Falls Situation Being Monitored by Minister Gravelle

Written by NNL Staff

THUNDER BAY - Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry is in the hot seat once again. Michael Gravelle is facing a situation in Marten Falls First Nation where there is a logistics halt on the landing strip for aircraft in the traditional lands. "We are monitoring the situation very closely," states Minister Gravelle. "We continue to work with the First Nations and companies with interests in the McFauld's Lake area to resolve this situation".

Noront Resources Ltd. has announced that it supports the actions of the Marten Falls First Nation ("MFFN") at the Ring of Fire, located in the James Bay Lowlands. MFFN announced that they are implementing a logistics halt, which will deny companies operating in the Ring of Fire access to the ice landing strip at Kopper Lake. MFFN indicated that this denial of service, which MFFN undertook with the support of other communities in the area, will be in place for an indefinite period.

Noront notes that MFFN and other First Nation communities in the area, have become increasingly concerned by the lack of consultation with their communities concerning development in the Ring of Fire and a disregard for their environment.

Noront notes that it has been its policy from the beginning to actively work with and communicate with the First Nations communities impacted by the Company's exploration activity in the Ring of Fire. Noront has been actively canvassing the local First Nations communities and the provincial government to initiate round table negotiations between industry, First Nations leaders and provincial government ministries to establish a long term, viable development plan that brings the maximum benefit to the most people in this exciting mineral district.

Noront's CEO, Wes Hanson states: "We are very concerned that our community partners feel that their only recourse is to deny logistical access to the ice strip at Kopper Lake to all companies in the Ring of Fire. It is our understanding that the events that precipitated this denial of service were not due to any specific action on the part of Noront, however, as the only exploration company currently active in the Ring of Fire, Noront is inconvenienced by this action. Noront has respected and honoured MFFN by signing an agreement compensating them for exploration work we've completed on their traditional lands. We have undertaken several initiatives regarding education and youth within the MFFN community and we remain committed to building a strong and stable relationship in the future. We are therefore not, at this time, taking any action to limit the protest. We will adjust our exploration effort accordingly and we do not believe that this action will limit or otherwise disrupt our development plans at McFauld's Lake. The denial of service, to our knowledge, does not limit our ability to continue active work programs in the area. We remain committed to maintaining a close working relationship with MFFN and the other communities in the Ring of Fire. I have contacted Chief Moonias to advise him that while we consider the denial of service at Kopper Lake to be unfair to Noront, we will abide by the denial of service."