Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said the provincially-appointed Ring of Fire coordinator admitted to him that she has never set foot on the burgeoning mineral exploration camp in the James Bay lowlands.
He is accusing the McGuinty government of mismanaging the Ring of Fire mining development in the James Bay lowlands.
Kaszycki was a guest speaker at a professional engineers luncheon in North Bay, Jan. 27.
Fedeli, who attended the event as the Ontario Progressive Conservative Energy Critic, introduced himself to Kaszycki and spoke of his experience in the exploration camp last year.
He flew up to the region with Muskoka MPP Norm Miller last August for one day to tour the area.
The Ring of Fire is roughly 530 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and is the site of a cluster of world class, multi-generational chromite deposits. Chromite is processed into ferrochrome which is used in the making of stainless steel.
Ohio-based Cliffs Natural Resources is the leading mining player in the region with its flagship Black Thor deposit.
Fedeli relayed to Kaszycki his excited first impressions of the activity and the enormous potential for North Bay area mining suppliers to get involved.
“So I said to her, what was your first impression when you landed there?
And she said to me, 'I've never actually set foot in the Ring of Fire.'”
I said, 'what?' Then basically she had realized what she had done.”
Fedeli said it demonstrates the level of commitment by the McGuinty government to the mineral exploration play, “which is just about nil.”
Fedeli said the lack of action of provincial action on the Ring of Fire file is delaying development of various chromite deposits by mining companies by at least a year.
“It's an absolute signal that this McGuinty government does not care about Northern Ontario and does not care of anything north of Steeles Avenue (in Toronto).
Fedeli said the Ring of Fire Coordinator should physically have an office in the exploration camp to demonstrate its commitment, and Kaszycki should be a “frequent flyer” to the area.
Kaszycki was not immediately available for comment.
An emailed query to Kaszycki by Northern Ontario Business was immediately referred to Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci, who fiercely defended Kaszycki who was appointed Ring of Fire coordinator in September 2010.
“She has been talking first-hand with all the people related to the opportunities in the Ring of Fire, She is in communications with Cliffs, Noront, the prospectors and developers and First Nations.”
Bartolucci accused Fedeli of being “unprofessional” in attacking a public servant and in demeaning her “proactive” efforts.
He praised the work ethic of Kaszycki and her staff in exploring the full potential of Ring of Fire and expressed confidence in the results her office has achieved.
“For Vic Fedeli to take one comment and blow it out of proportion is totally unacceptable and certainly doesn't foster to do what we want to do as a government, and that's work with people to ensure that we realize opportunity.”
Bartolucci fended off questions about whether Kaszycki's responsibilties should include physically travelling to the site.
“The reality is, she is, and will continue to be, a very competent coordinator who is achieving remarkable progress in a very, very complex environment that requires the ability to bring people together in a meaningful way and she does that as good as anybody I know.”
Bartolucci maintains the Ring of Fire projects are “progressing in a very positive way.”
Fedeli said he will not ask for her resignation, but expects her office to “produce results.”
Fedeli is organizing a return trip north to the Ring of Fire in leading a sales trade mission of North Bay area mining service and supply companies this March.
