Canada Using Protest Lesson to Develop C$50 Billion Ring of Fire

The Canadian federal minister overseeing projects to develop C$50 billion ($48 billion) of mineral deposits said he’ll use lessons learned from aboriginal protests to temper resistance that has slowed other projects.

Increased job training, infrastructure and participation in environmental reviews are helping build trust with aboriginal communities adjacent to the so-called Ring of Fire deposits in northern Ontario, Greg Rickford said in an interview. The Idle No More protest movement that emerged last year showed anger with “politics at every level” and demonstrated that aboriginals want to share the benefits of resource development, he said.