MPP avoids playing favourites

The MPP for Thunder Bay-Superior North attempted to set things straight on Friday regarding the future location of a chromite smelter related to the Ring of Fire mining development.

MPP Michael Gravelle, who serves as Ontario’s minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, publicly discussed the mining development on Friday and controversy that erupted after a related editorial in Thursday’s edition of The Chronicle-Journal.

The editorial said, “Pressed by media for the location following a Rotary Club address Tuesday, Gravelle stressed the benefits to all of the North while giving every indication that it won’t be in Thunder Bay, even though the Ring’s leading players already operate from an office here.”

Gravelle said Friday that he never said the plant wasn’t coming to Thunder Bay, only that there were many potential sites and the Ontario government was waiting for companies to present their development plans.

The MPP said he spoke to Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs on Friday and they both discussed potential Ring of Fire development, namely the chromite smelter, saying the province is working closely with mining companies interested in the Ring of Fire to have a processing plant somewhere in Northern Ontario.

Hobbs has been vocal in the past about having the plant located in Thunder Bay.
Gravelle said the conversation was based on how important it is to continue to work closely together.
“It would please me if Thunder Bay was chosen as the location for the plant, but the priority I put on this project is to work as hard as I can and to meet our premier’s commitment to have the processing plant in Northern Ontario,” he told The Chronicle-Journal.

It’s a delicate situation he is in as both MPP and Minister for Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, Gravelle said. He is encouraging all communities to present proposals and compete for Ring of Fire development, while maintaining his duty to his constituents as their MPP.

“Potentially, there are other sites in my riding of Thunder Bay-Superior North,” Gravelle said. “Their are other places, like Greenstone, which is part of my riding as well. For me to be pushing for one area in my riding would be not be the appropriate thing at all.”

Gravelle pointed out that Thunder Bay is in the running for development, noting Cleveland-based Cliffs Natural Resources officials, a major player in the Ring of Fire, already visited Thunder Bay to meet with officials, but are also looking at other communities.

Gravelle said he has told Hobbs and other municipal leaders to present their best cases for having the plant located in their community.

Hobbs said that their wasn’t any controversy between himself and Gravelle. He has no intention to start a public fight with the MPP, but he is aggressively pursuing the plant being located in Thunder Bay.

“All is well between us and I respect him as a politician and I do understand he is in a delicate situation,” Hobbs said on Friday. “He and I go back many years. I was in his office in Queen’s Park many times lobbying over police matters.”

The reality is competition is fierce for development opportunities in the Ring of Fire, Hobbs said, and it isn’t isolated to Ontario. He’s heard Prince Rupert, B.C., wanted to have the smelter located in their city and some Chinese companies are vying for a piece of the development. He also said they can’t forget the First Nations living in the Ring of Fire area as they will have the final say in how much development occurs and who can operate in their territories.

“I made it a part of my election platform and I am not backing down from my commitment to have the smelter built in Thunder Bay,” Hobbs said. “I respect Gravelle as our MPP and as a minister, but I will be pushing for the smelter.”

Hobbs said he agreed with Gravelle to have more direct talks in the future to ensure they are on the same page. Gravelle also said he was looking forward to working with Hobbs on this and future endeavors.