Debates of May 21st, 2013

Natural Resources—Main Estimates, 2013-14

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Chair, I am sure that the opposition members across the way are going to want to ask about the green mining initiative. I look forward to them bringing questions forward. It brings stakeholders together to develop and demonstrate new green technologies and processes. It is creating new opportunities for Canadian mining, technology and service industries, both here in Canada and around the world.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, my questions are for the minister, and he is not here.

[The Chair, NDP, Joe Comartin]

The parliamentary secretary is here to answer questions in the absence of the minister.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, I will be using my full 15 minutes for questions.

Does the Department of Natural Resources have a seat at the Ring of Fire Secretariat?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Chair, it is good to be here. The Ring of Fire is a strategically important mineral resource region in Northern Ontario. It is interesting that the opposition seems to be ambivalent about its relationship to it. The member opposite is fairly supportive of it. Other members of his party are not as supportive of that whole project and of mining development and things that go with it. We understand that it holds over $60 billion in metal potential and deposits and could become one of the most significant mineral deposits in our country, and we are working on that project.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, how many Ring of Fire Secretariat meetings has the minister attended?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Chair, that is the exciting thing, and I hope you will give me a little bit of time here. Mr. Clement, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister for the Federal Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, has been appointed to lead federal efforts and ensure that Canada takes advantage of the resource development opportunities in the Ring of Fire.

I hope that the member opposite will be willing to work with us on that, because this is a tremendous opportunity for that part of the world. He may have to work against his own party, but we certainly look forward to working with him.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, I hope the minister can answer the questions.

Could the minister list the companies that he or his senior officials have met with in conjunction with the Ring of Fire development?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Chair, I would just point out that the President of the Treasury Board has responsibility for this. He has been given that responsibility. We look forward to his working on this and certainly look forward to the member opposite working with him.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, could the minister list the first nations communities he or his senior officials have met with in conjunction with the Ring of Fire?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, my colleague has mentioned that the President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario has responsibility for the Ring of Fire. I have personally met with quite a few aboriginal leaders across the country and will continue to do that going forward.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, has the minister met with the Matawa First Nations?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, the department has. I have met with National Chief Atleo and with the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association. I have met with Grand Chief David Harper and Chief Jerry Primrose in Manitoba and with Grand Chief Ron Michel and Vice Chief Simon Bird in Saskatchewan. In Alberta I have met with Chief Allan Adam. In British Columbia I have met with Chief Robert Louie, Chief Ellis Ross, Chief Ed John, Chief Doug White, Chief Ian Campbell, Chief Calvin Helin, first nations--

[The Chair, NDP, Joe Comartin]

The hon. member for Nickel Belt.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, has the minister met with the chiefs of Ontario?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, the department has met with the chiefs in Ontario, and of course, my colleague, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, has met with those chiefs as well.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, what input has the department had on training programs for first nations related to the Ring of Fire?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, the question is directed at the wrong minister. I do not have that detail, nor would I be expected to, nor would the questioner expect me to.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, can the minister confirm that anyone who wants to have access to workforce training must have a high school diploma?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, this is not one of my portfolio responsibilities. There is a minister responsible for relations with aboriginal peoples. The President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario is in charge of leading the federal efforts while ensuring that Canada takes advantage of opportunities to develop the Ring of Fire resources.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, is the minister aware that the dropout rate in some communities in places like Webequie and the Ring of Fire area is 62%?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, this is a very important issue. What I have been saying across the country, and what my colleagues have been saying as well, is that there is an enormous transformative opportunity for the responsible development of our natural resources to benefit aboriginal communities right across the country. It is one of the driving forces for our government and for me personally to see those enormous benefits accrue to aboriginal communities from these vast resources.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister was in Capreol last week in my riding, which is where the smelter is proposed for the Ring of Fire project. Did the minister meet with anyone on the proposed smelter?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, I did not meet with anyone with respect to that activity. However, let me reinforce the point I made before. The natural resource sector is the largest private employer of aboriginal people in Canada.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, what work is being done by the department to identify the workforce skills that will be required for the smelter to run?