http://www.nugget.ca/2018/01/18/rail-union-supports-timmins-smelter-bid

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The following is in response to the letter North Bay quits before trying which appeared Tuesday

To the editor:

This letter is in response to the letter titled North Bay gives up before trying.

I would just like to say from the side of the Maintenance of Way Union at Ontario Northland Railway we have stood beside Timmins for the Ring of Fire from the start.

We met with former Timmins mayor Tom Laughren to talk about the Ring of Fire long before it became front page news.

We had a member who had an uncle that was drilling at the Ring of Fire and had all the details of the find.

I then contacted our national president at the time, Bill Brehl, and explained the deposit. We then met with Mr. Laughren and suggested that the chromite be taken to Timmins because the Kidd metallurgical site (met site) had all the ingredients to make a great place to take the chromite.

Mr. Laughren made a plan and proposed our idea to the Ontario government and has been working in the background ever since. Tom, as you know, is chairman of the commission and has been for some time. While our group always likes to hear any progress or ideas about the Ring of Fire, it’s my humble belief that the smelter is best suited for Timmins.