Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to the Ring of Fire mining development.
So described Sudbury Liberal MP Viviane Lapointe in a statement she provided to Sudbury.com on Wednesday in response to a request for comment.
Earlier in the day, Poilievre hosted a media event in Sudbury at which, if elected, he pledged to:
- Contribute $1 billion toward a road opening up the Ring of Fire mining development in Northern Ontario
- Approve the Ring of Fire within six months
- Repeal Bill C-69, which he described as hampering economic development
“We’ve known about this place for a long time. Why are there no shovels in the ground? Why are there no paycheques in people’s pockets?” Poilievre asked, blaming Liberals for doing “everything they could to block this project.”
“When people outside our region come and tell us how they'll ‘fix’ the Ring of Fire, it only serves to show how little they know about mining and Northern Ontario,” Lapointe said. “Everyone knows the Ring of Fire is a critical strategic investment for Canada, but you can't simply decree that it's getting done when you say so.”
When Poilievre voted against the Critical Minerals Strategy, he “lost all credibility to talk about the Ring of Fire or any mining project,” Lapointe said, describing the strategy as “a key piece of legislation to ramp up new mining in Canada and deliver the jobs that come with it.”
Poilievre also voted against a $4-billion investment backing the strategy, she added.
Since the strategy launched in 2022, the country has seen a 15 per cent increase in the production of critical minerals, Lapointe said.
“The federal government has already committed to building necessary infrastructure like roads and bridges for new mines,” she said.
“Make no mistake: when the province completes its negotiations with First Nations in the Ring of Fire region, the federal government will be ready to deliver on this project."
Nickel Belt Liberal MP Marc Serré similarly defended the Liberals’ dedication to seeing the Ring of Fire through.
“I remain hopeful that this vital development will come to fruition in a way that drives economic growth while upholding Indigenous rights and protecting our environment,” he said.
“It should go without saying that governments need to take a responsible, collaborative approach — one that respects Indigenous communities and safeguards our environment,” Serré said.
“This stands in stark contrast to the previous Conservative government under Stephen Harper, which faced over 150 court challenges due to its failure to engage meaningfully with Indigenous partners and environmental concerns.”
The Ring of Fire needs to be a collaborative effort with Indigenous voices, industry and the enforcement of environmental protections, Serré said.
“It cannot be a one-man show, as Pierre Poilievre would have it. Leadership is about collaboration, not division. That’s how we build sustainable, inclusive development that benefits Northern Ontario while preserving our natural resources for future generations.”
Sudbury NDP candidate Nadia Verrelli also weighed in on Poilievre’s comments, defending the Ring of Fire as “essential to creating good Canadian jobs and building the economy of the future.”
“New Democrats would work with First Nations to unlock the Ring of Fire and build the roads needed,” she said.
“Getting free, prior and informed consent is the way to do that. Pierre Poilievre wants to bulldoze right through rights holders, only delaying development, rather than do what’s obligated to move the project forward.”
She cautions against trusting a Conservative government to get the job done “because they refused to do it right.”
“An NDP government would work with First Nations to sell our critical minerals to the world and ensure sustainability and Indigenous rights are at the heart of our strategy."
Sudbury People’s Party of Canada candidate Nicholas Bonderoff told Sudbury.com that while the Ring of Fire is important, there are other mining projects also “stuck in permitting delays.”
“If the Ring of Fire is truly viable, industry will step in as long as there’s a predictable, streamlined approval process,” he said.
“Sudbury thrives when the entire mining industry is strong, not just one project. Rather than focusing on the Ring of Fire alone, the government should create an efficient and fair regulatory framework that allows all resource projects — many of which support jobs and businesses in Sudbury — to move forward based on economic potential, not political convenience.”
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
