October 28, 2010 – Republic of Mining

This letter was sent to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines in October/2008. The letter provides interesting background information on Ontario’s mineral exploration sector. R. S. Middleton is a well-known and respected geophysicist who has been involved with many mining projects around the world and in Canada over the past 40 years.

For an extensive list of articles on this mineral discovery, please go to: Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

LACK OF ADEQUATE OR APPROPRIATE CONSULTAION

Meetings on changes to the Mining Act in Ontario were held on August 11, 13, 18, and September 8th, 2008 in Timmins, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Kingston and Toronto. The timing was particularly unfortunate since exploration people are always away in the field during the summer months so they were unable to take part or comment on the proposed changes to the Act. This suggests either that the government has a poor understanding of the industry or that it has deliberately set in train a process to carry out its plans without proper consultation with the industry. Changing an Act of Parliament with only a three week review period is completely unacceptable in any parliamentary democracy.

Those of us away on field work have been unaware of any of the discussions and proposals that have taken place and consider that they have not been properly consulted.

Moreover holding hearings in a small number of towns over such a short time frame, will not elicit the input that is required from the industry. Why was Ottawa not included in the hearings? There are more exploration mining companies based in Ottawa than in Thunder Bay.

R. S. Middleton is a well-known and respected geophysicist who has been involved with many mining projects around the world and in Canada over the past 40 years.

The wealth extracted from the north has benefited southern Ontario and particularly Toronto since the 1800’s. The discovery of silver at Cobalt in 1903 was a major historical event. The enormous wealth produced at Cobalt was a major boost to the early Toronto Stock Exchange. The prospectors spread northward and found the Hollinger Gold Mine in 1909 and hence the town (now the City of Timmins).

The Town of Timmins needed a Newspaper and Radio station. This was Roy Thomson’s first business and the beginning of the Thomson newspaper chain and empire. Where is the monument to this success and financial wealth? In Toronto on King Street – Roy Thomson Hall! Where is the original head office where Roy’s son David worked as a cub reporter? It was in downtown Timmins on the corner of Cedar and Second Street, which is now an empty space since the building was torn down.

The dividends paid by the Hollinger Mine financed the Noranda Smelter for Noranda Mines (based in Toronto.) Hollinger money started the Iron Ore Company of Canada in Quebec and Labrador, the source for iron ore to make steel in Hamilton, Ontario and the USA. Who was the lawyer and president for IOCC, Brian Mulroney!

Next to the Hollinger Mine was the McIntyre Mine which produced the funds to start Falconbridge Nickel in 1934 whose office was in Toronto. The Dome mine, six miles to the east, started Dome Petroleum and the Canadian Oil Industry. Argus Corporation (from Toronto) took over the Hollinger Gold Mine and remaining treasury and Conrad Black (from Toronto) used these funds to buy up many newspapers. Hollinger Inc. held the Financial Post (now National Post), Daily Telegraph (London, England) Jerusalem Post, Vancouver Sun, Chicago Papers etc. and the rest of this story is still being played out.

“Ontario’s Mining Act” and the Importance of Exploration to the Future Prosperity of the Province – by R. S. Middleton (October/2008)

A Brief Summary of the Mining Sector’s Contributions to Ontario – by R. S. Middleton, P.Eng.