Canada’s untapped mineral goldmine

Sixteen years ago, scientists discovered the first nickel and copper deposits in the Ring of Fire, a 5,000-square-kilometre crescent of volcanic rock located in the James Bay Lowlands. That northern tract, rich with materials necessary to manufacture EV batteries, is of tremendous interest to Canada’s mining giant stakeholders, the federal government and Indigenous communities in the area.

For now, however, it’s unreachable. Several environmental assessments are under way to determine if a $2-billion road running north from the highway to the Ring of Fire is feasible, and the provincial government has pledged $1 billion to build a big chunk of it. But it won’t happen until some legal issues are settled. Ten First Nations groups in the Treaty 9 area have together launched a $95-billion lawsuit against the federal and provincial governments for not consulting them on development plans.

Will we ever be able to access the minerals? Virginia Heffernan, the author of Ring of Fire: High Stakes Mining in a Lowlands Wilderness, writes in Maclean’s that a lot depends on what happens next: “If Canada can find a way to sustainably mine and supply metals to EV manufacturing hubs in North America, the country will be spinning green gold.”

—Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief

Richard Beaudry has navigated several book-ban attempts throughout his decades-long career as a librarian. Now, he’s seeing more requests to ban books on subjects like sexual orientation and gender identity, and even Harry Potter. Here, he discusses the dangers of dictating what people should or shouldn’t read, and what’s being done to address it.

We spoke to representatives from Canada’s top MBA schools to help you learn more about your options.

CULTURE PICK
OF THE WEEK

Out tomorrow, the much-hyped, hot-pink Barbie finally, finally, arrives smack dab in the middle of roller-blading and beach season. What could have been a silly kid’s flick was transformed into a neon fever dream when subversive director Greta Gerwig signed on to write the top-secret screenplay, which has made the internet giddy with teasers for months. A slate of Canadian actors star alongside Margot Robbie as the male dolls, including a bleach-blond, uber-fit Ryan Gosling as boyfriend Ken; Simu Liu as, um, another Ken; and Michael Cera as the dorky (and discontinued) Allan doll. Rounding out the all-star cast are Kate McKinnon, Hari Nef, Dua Lipa and Emma Mackey as Barbie, Barbie, Barbie and Barbie.

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