Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 18/02) - Northern mining and the rules governing it will be the focus of a first-of-its kind meeting in Yellowknife early next month.

Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development Minister Jim Antoine announced Wednesday that he and federal Northern Development Minister Robert Nault will host a one-day conference in Yellowknife April 4.

Antoine's counterparts in the Yukon and Nunavut will also be in attendance.

The conference is aimed at addressing "the need to develop a healthy Northern mining industry," Antoine said.

Mining companies, aboriginal economic development corporations and the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy have been invited to attend.

The need for federal support for road development in the North will be one of the issues the territorial government will raise with Nault, Antoine said.

"The other main issue will be the regulatory processes they have to go through," said Antoine, noting the three territories have different regulatory processes.

"We're going to be comparing what we have in common and hearing from the stakeholders themselves," Antoine said.

Stakeholders such as aboriginal corporations will make presentations during the morning half of the conference, which will be open.

The second half of the meeting will be closed, as ministers hold government-to-government discussions.