Greg Rickford thinks delays in the Ring of Fire should be looked at as an opportunity.
Cliffs Natural Resources suspended work on its environmental assessment in June saying until issues between First Nations and government are resolved, it's taken the process as far as it can go.
The main issue is a court injunction filed by Matawa Tribal Council over the federal government's decision to give the project a comprehensive rather than a joint panel review. A court decision on that is expected in September.
During a Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce lunch sponsored by Cliffs Wednesday, Rickford said the delay has allowed all of those involved the time to focus on other aspects of the project.
"I have framed them as they should be," he told the crowd at the Italian Cultural Centre, "Opportunities."
Outside of the centre around a dozen people stood with placards denouncing the Conservative government's decision and questioning Cliffs' environmental record in other places. Alex Boulet said a comprehensive review is the wrong way to go given the size of the proposed mining project.
"One of the main issues is there's a lot less community consultation and also ironically it's not as comprehensive of an environmental assessment," Boulet said.
Mining is important to the region but with so much at stake, Boulet said there's a right way to develop the project.
"It's a really great opportunity and we just want to make sure that it's done right and in order to do it right I think that the Ring of Fire needs to have the highest level of environmental assessment possible," he said.
Cliffs environmental affairs director Jason Aagenes said the company is committed to a thorough environmental review.
"Regardless of what the process is called," he said. "We're willing to work with whatever process is put forward. We're confident no matter what the framework is."
No matter what, the company is looking to speak with First Nations communities directly, something it's been doing all along. As for environmental impacts, that's what the process is for. Aagenes said everything from water quality to human resources is studied. Any negative that pops up will be mitigated, reduced or eliminated.
Inside the lunch a member of the Citizens for a Sustainable Planet asked Rickford why the federal government has eviscerated the environmental assessment process and assaulted science. He then apologized for the uncomfortable question.
"You don't have to apologize for the question because I'm not going to apologize for the answer," Rickford said.
He then became a little heated in defending the government's decision saying the process is now more streamlined and effective.
Rickford also told the room about Webequie, a community near the proposed project, that is seeing training and getting ready for employment that the project will bring.
Earlier in the day Rickford said that he was choosing to stay positive when discussing the project, something he asked the room full of regional leaders and businesses to do.
"It's about staying positive and I think we all have a collective obligation to talk in that way," Rickford said.
