NICKEL BELT – Earlier this morning, Marc Serré, MP for Nickel Belt, welcomed The Honourable Bob Rae to Northern Ontario Caucus, of which Mr. Serré serves as Caucus Chair, to share his advice and expertise gained from his experience as lead negotiator of the Matawa Chiefs Council with regard to the proposed development of the Northern Ontario Ring of Fire.
“I was delighted that Mr. Rae agreed to attend the Caucus and share his expertise with us today. We are fortunate to have seven strong MPs fighting for Northern Ontario in this caucus, including Minister Patty Hajdu, and I’m confident that Mr. Rae’s advice will inform our work moving forward” said Serré.
“Mr. Rae provided a frank and engaging presentation on the opportunities and challenges related to developing the Ring of Fire, and particularly on the role that my Caucus colleagues and I can play in strengthening our government’s relationship with the Indigenous communities that call the region home.” Serré continued.
Among attendees at the Northern Ontario Liberal Caucus for Mr. Rae’s presentation were The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development, The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, The Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of Natural Resources, and The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Status of Women, in addition to a number of MPs.
“I’d like to thank The Honourable Bob Rae for sharing his time and expertise with members of the Northern Ontario Liberal Caucus, the Cabinet, and fellow MPs today,” said Serré. “I’m confident that each of us left today’s meeting with a greater understanding of the position of the Matawa First Nations peoples with regard to development of infrastructure and mines in the Ring of Fire, and what our roles are as parliamentarians to ensure that their voices are heard. This development has the potential to be a game-changer for all of Canada, but we must ensure that the impacted Indigenous communities have a strong voice at the negotiating table and beyond,” concluded Serré.
The Honourable Bob Rae will be remaining in Ottawa to appear before the Standing Committee on Natural Resources this Thursday, October 27th, from 8:45 am to 10:45 am.
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