Gravelle Slams Natural Resources Minister for Visit without Meeting Local Groups

OTTAWA – Nickel Belt MP Claude Gravelle fired a broadside at Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver Tuesday, with many questions in Parliament on his visit to Capreol last week that avoided meetings with local groups on the proposed Ring of Fire ferrochrome smelter.

“The minister was right there at the Podolsky property to re-announce the extension of the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit and he should have met with our mining sector and workers on skills training and with the Capreol Safety Health and Environment committee,” Gravelle said after grilling Oliver as part of a four-hour Committee of the Whole review of the Natural Resources Department. “He is the Minister of Natural Resources but listening to him you’d think nothing is his responsibility.”

As Official Opposition, the NDP has the right to review the spending of two departments in Committee of the Whole which is done in the House of Commons Chamber and is open to all MPs rather than the typical 12 sit on Parliamentary Committees.

Here is part of the exchange between Gravelle and Oliver Tuesday evening in Parliament.

Mr. Claude Gravelle: 

 Mr. Chair, the minister was in Capreol last week in my riding, which is where the smelter is proposed for the Ring of Fire project. Did the minister meet with anyone on the proposed smelter?

Hon. Joe Oliver: 

Mr. Chair, I did not meet with anyone with respect to that activity.

Mr. Claude Gravelle: 

    Mr. Chair, what work is being done by the department to identify the workforce skills that will be required for the smelter to run?

Hon. Joe Oliver: 

    Mr. Chair, again, this is the responsibility of another minister. You can keep asking the questions, but you are still getting the same answer.

Mr. Claude Gravelle: 

Mr. Chair, has the department made any assessments of the shortages in skills and in skills training to ensure the local workforce is ready for the project in 2016?

Hon. Joe Oliver: 

    Mr. Chair, the government will of course deal with the issues that are raised. My colleague, the President of the Treasury Board, is occupying himself in that connection.

Mr. Claude Gravelle: 

    Mr. Chair, when in Capreol, did the minister meet with Capreol's Safety, Health and Environmental committee that has been seeking a full environmental assessment for the smelter?

Hon. Joe Oliver: 

    Mr. Chair, again, there is a combination here of what is the responsibility of my colleague and the responsibility of an environmental review panel.

Mr. Claude Gravelle: 

    Mr. Chair, I would like to remind the minister that he is the Minister of Natural Resources. What has the government done in greater Sudbury to invest in skills training for natural resources development?

Hon. Joe Oliver: 

Mr. Chair, budget 2013 announced $4.4 million over three years to FedNor to provide targeted support to aboriginal communities in the Ring of Fire. The funding will provide support for business skills development, strategic business planning and aboriginal youth engagement to ensure they benefit from resource development opportunities in the region.

Like many questions during the 4 hours, the last answer had nothing to do with the question asked.

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