Kenora MP Pleased ELA Deal Has Been Reached

Kenora MP Greg Rickford is pleased a deal has been finalized to keep the Experimental Lakes Area open.
Rickford says a lot of hard work went into completing a deal.
He says he spent countless hours with Department of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea to ensure that the ELA continues its important research.
Rickford says there were a few bumps along the way, but stresses it’s beneficial for the region and the world that the work will go on.
However, Rickford is fuming mad with the way the announcement was handled.
Premier Kathleen Wynne made the announcement in Kenora on the weekend but failed to mention any federal involvement in negotiations.
Rickford says the Federal Government has always been committed to ensuring that a new operator be in place to take over the ELA and negotiated in good faith with the Province and the International Institute for Sustainable Development.
He stresses that all three parties agreed on a joint media release and the province turned around with a completely different version and with no mention of the federal Government.
Rickford says the Minister of Natural Resources played games with the file from day one.
Rickford notes this isn’t a file to do “political showmanship” and believes the province saw a “politically sexy issue” to appease northerners.
He does note that a voice of reason came following the announcement in Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle.