“This is an exceedingly encouraging development”, said KWG President Frank Smeenk. “There has been a lot of jockeying amongst all the players affected by the Ring of Fire discoveries, and the Chiefs are demonstrating their profound wisdom in determining to act together to confront those opportunities for all of their communities and people.”

“We are in complete agreement with Chief Moonias of the Marten Falls First Nation when he observed, in the press release announcing the Unity Declaration: ‘Our First Nations do not oppose responsible development but as the people of the land, we want to benefit from these potential mining developments and negotiate meaningful employment and business opportunities for our communities, while ensuring the environment is not at risk’.”

Smeenk explained: “This is not the provocative action or bellicose expression that the media has characterized it to be, but rather a progressive first step that will ultimately enable consultations to be undertaken in a much more organized and productive way. And it expresses values that our exploration industry enthusiastically endorses and actively advocates.”