Gilles Bisson says the Liberals still don’t get what is happening with mining in Ontario. During today’s Question Period, Bisson stresses that resources will not be processed in the province ever again.

“Xstrata was pretty clear. They said not only are they shutting down the refinery smelter in Timmins, but there will not be other refinery smelters built in the province of Ontario, including the project up at the Ring of Fire.”

Bisson says the government needs to step up to ensure we benefit from our resources.

“Why would Ontario allow itself to be put in the position of not adding value to those natural resources that we are so lucky to have and be blessed with in this province and instead allow those particular metals to be processed outside of Ontario?”

Bisson says Ontario has an abundance of natural resources in the ground and in the forest. If we don’t have an ability to add value to those products, the economy of Ontario will suffer.

“Xstrata was clear. There will not be any more refining. There will not be any more smelting done as far as new projects coming into the province of Ontario. We will become the extractors of the ore, we will transform it into concentrator pellets, and we will ship it out of this province.”

Bisson says Ontario could soon lose its status as resource wealthy province.   

“So my question to you is, What are you going to do to ensure that Ontario is able to benefit from those natural resources by having value added to them here in Ontario?”