Leadfootin, you write:

"My personal experience in the mining business is that Mines and Northern Development stands behind you while Natural Resources stands in front of you with the backing and strong support of others such as Gord Miller! This current provincial government has strengthened ministerial behaviour to preclude many projects from happening. Just look at Ontario's standing as a good place to start a mine."

Leadfootin, my experience has been this:,

I have not worked in the mining industry. I work in the electrical industry. Not so long ago I witnessed a very short lived battle. The battle between the ministry of the environment, hydro and a large automotive assembly plant. The situation was this. There was a fear of potential blackouts in the near future. The grid was overloaded. Hydro contacted the largest power users and said, "we'll kick in some money if you put in a huge diesel plant on your property. If we get into a crisis situation, we want to be able to put you on generator power." The need was immediate. The time frame to put in power other than diesel was too great. The urgency was NOW. The Ministry of Environment squacked and said, "we won't approve this....emissions, emission emissions." Hydro simply said, "the grid is overloaded, we could face a blackout, see the hospital over there. Please sign here on the dotted line that you will be accountable for any dead bodies as a result of a blackout. The generators were pushed through rapidly. Logic prevailed.

WE are in a recession looking for solutions. We need to stimulate the economy . WE need jobs, revenues. If times are great, projects are slower to pass, there is the luxury to monkey around. We are not in this time frame right now. Government, needs money through taxes. Look at the deficit. More jobs equals more money. Developement of the ROF will create that. The sense of urgency and logic will prevail.