Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Wednesday he'll "set a deadline" to approve all federal permits for mining in northwestern Ontario's Ring of Fire region within six months.
Poilievre said that a Conservative government would also commit $1 billion over three years to build a road network to link the mining sites to Ontario's highway network and First Nations communities in the area.
"We will make this money available by cutting foreign aid, bureaucracy, consultants, and other Liberal waste to free up money for productive investments," he said.
Poilievre was visiting a construction firm in Sudbury, Ont., Wednesday as all parties prepare for a federal election call that could be just days away - an election which will make the development of Canada's resources a key issue.
The Ring of Fire is about 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont. and contains massive deposits of critical minerals like nickel, copper, platinum and cobalt that could be worth tens of billions of dollars. These minerals have dozens of applications in things like electric vehicles, cellphones, medical devices and solar panels.
Poilievre said that because the Ring of Fire holds large deposits of critical minerals considered important to national security, Canada could claim some of the infrastructure spending in the region toward its NATO commitment to spend at least two per cent of national GDP on defence.
Energy and Natural Resource Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said nothing will get built in this country without consultation with Indigenous people — a legal requirement for development on First Nations land.
"The Ring of Fire is an interesting deposit ... but you have to be thoughtful about engaging Indigenous people and there is an assessment process underway now," Wilkinson said prior to Wednesday's cabinet meeting in Ottawa.
Terms of reference to guide federal assessments of future developments in the Ring of Fire were finalized between 15 First Nations and the federal Impact Assessment Agency in January.
Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nations, which includes the 15 First Nations in the Ring of Fire, said that the timeline Poilievre proposed is "unacceptable" and "reckless" and warns it would ignore treaty commitments to consultation.
"Our people are not necessarily opposed to any developments on their lands. What they want is ... a meaningful role in terms of how that development happens," Fiddler said.
Fiddler added First Nations communities are entitled to know how a development could affect current and future generations.
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict said that no matter what happens, the federal government can't ignore its legal obligation to consult with First Nations.
"It's entrenched in law that there has to be consultation with First Nations people and that's not something that can be vetoed in six months," he said. "We expect the federal government to uphold their responsibility of that consultation, regardless of what announcements have been made."
Some First Nations welcomed Poilievre's announcement.
In a joint statement, Chief Cornelius Wabasse of Webequie First Nation and Chief Bruce Achneepineskum of Marten Falls First Nation said Poilievre's plan aligns with "long-standing efforts" to build roads and they see it as a step toward economic reconciliation.
Poilievre said his government would allow companies involved in Ring of Fire extraction projects to pay a portion of their federal taxes directly to First Nations communities in the area.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford promised to speed up provincial approvals for Ring of Fire projects during the recent provincial election. Ford said he sees the Ring of Fire as essential to developing an end-to-end electric vehicle supply chain in the province.
The Ontario government only considers nine First Nations to be within the Ring of Fire region.
Sol Mamakwa, Ontario NDP deputy leader and MPP for Kiiwetinoong, has criticized the provincial government's consultation efforts. Speaking at Queen's Park on Wednesday, he said First Nations can't be kept out of discussions about federal timelines.
"It needs to be done in a way where we are at the table, not on the menu," Mamakwa said. "And I think it's important that we follow the process of free, prior, informed consent, and that's all they want. And we need to be a part of the discussion and not just an afterthought."
Mamakwa said he does not think it's possible to complete the necessary consultations in six months.
Nadia Verrelli, federal NDP candidate for Sudbury, said in a media statement that her party would work with First Nations communities to get consent to develop the Ring of Fire and build the necessary roads.
"Poilievre wants to bulldoze right through rights holders, only delaying development, rather than do what’s obligated to move the project forward," Verrelli said.
The Ontario government says there are more than 26,000 mining claims for the Ring of Fire held by 15 companies and individuals.
