Earlier post by yours truly:

http://agoracom.com/ir/Noront/forums/discussion/topics/672870-matawa-news-letter-insight-into-progress/messages/2107202#message

"Also working with the RFA TPA Joint Workplan Team are two Ministry of

Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) Ring of Fire Secretariat staff

members."

Comment:

What caught my eye Ringer was the mere mentioning of the "Ring of Fire Secretariat". Up until now the Secretariat has been a sort of covert operation, whose name barely comes up in the media, and whose purpose has come into question. Now, in this news letter, we see the MNDM Ring of Fire Secretariat is being presented as a new addition to this TPA process, which I believe signifies a degree of progress. Their voice here tells me that increases in funding directly associated with the Ring of Fire may be in play, and that the need to determine how these new funds are to be allocated is being addressed.

TM.

This is to back up what I had said in this earlier post:

http://www.mndmf.gov.on.ca/en/ring-fire-secretariat/first-nations-partnerships

Community-Based Capacity Funding

Communities have indicated a need for local capacity in order to respond to large projects, like those proposed in the Ring of Fire. First Nation communities want to understand and prepare for investment attraction and workforce planning to fully benefit from upcoming opportunities.

To help meet these needs:

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is working to deliver community-based capacity funding in cooperation with the provincial government, federal government and industry (i.e., Cliffs Natural Resources and Noront Resources Inc.). Funding could be used to:

• Support capacity needs for governance, negotiations, legal, and technical supports and advisory services;
• Define and negotiate the use of shared First Nation territories;
• Support training and skills development required to participate in Ring of Fire activities;
• Allow for the hiring of project leads or managers for Ring of Fire initiatives; and
• Cover travel for participation in committees and working groups, among other things.

This funding supports the needs identified by eligible communities and provides flexibility for them to assess and prioritize for the potential opportunities arising from Ring of Fire developments.

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is also supporting many of the communities most proximate to potential development with community communication liaison officer positions. These positions are intended to provide individuals with knowledge about the mining sector and help communities at large engage with industry and government.

Over the past three years, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, through the New Relationship Fund, has provided community-based funding to all Ring of Fire communities to build consultation and engagement capacity for dialogue with industry proponents planning development in the Ring of Fire area.

TM.