May I take some time from all of you here reading this forum.

I want to pretend that I am a writer for a column on mining for the TBay Chronicle Journal as an example. Mind you I have no writing skills worth talking about nor much knowlege about mining But am putting down what I would like to see from media about the Ring these days.

Off the top I do not want to dwell about further discussions between natives, governments and companies involved in the Ring. Those discussions should have occured at least a few years ago and right now is time for compromises between all
involved.
Yes compromises Because,
1. The native commumities do not appear to be backing off from wanting their cake and eating it.
2. Both governments are sitting on thir butts and hoping that something will happen and they will not need to do anything but watch and take bows at the end, claiming that they achieved something.
3. The companies are waiting because they are helpless to do anyting if the previous two do not reach some king of concensus. And there is no longer a big brother to take the lead role in developing the needed infrastructures.

Sooo... with my limited knowlege I want to say that the needed permanent road to the Ring should be the east-west road and the provincial government should fund at least half of it's cost. Roads are a responsibility of the province. The remainder of the cost could be taken up by federal government, early mine starter Noront and the communities closest to the route of that road. Of these remaining three, federals should fund larger share because a road would lower all costs to the communities and by default the federal government could and should lower the support payments to those communities. It simply means cost savings to the federals in the long run for support up front.

As a writer I would be on the case of the provincial government to quit playing around and state in concrete terms where the road goes, where the electrical power line along that road would also go and if the natives are complaining or asking for further discussions, impose a decision and let out contracts. No more off loading decisions onto a paper development corporation.

I would also complain about the rail road. We all know that it has to be built and that it's path has to be the north-south route. No need to debate if or along which path. Eskers dictate the route. I say that KWG needs to be compensated for it's claims along that route ( i.e. we pay for the buraucrats issuing mining permits where mining would not happen) and Ontario through Devco should sit down with them about it's construction and funding. Here is where the development corporation should front and center so people with proper skills to manage those decisions should be placed immediately and give the bureaucrats a vacation.

Because the media are handling the issue with kid's gloves the public is largely ignorant and that gives an excuse for the governments to side step the issue by avoiding their proper responsibility of directing what and how to meet needs.

If Quebec and Manitoba can supply electrical power at reasonable cost then Ontario has to do the same, even if it implies subsidies. That should move the chromite issue further along.

Media are the vehicles to let the public know. If neglected in it's duty we all suffer. Ed G.