Pierre and people like him are taking steps from the Trump playbook. If you say it long enough many people will believe it to be true. As for the refinery, hopefully Canadian regulators will take proper measures to ensure it meets high standards to protect the environment and lives of people in the surrounding area unlike what goes on here in the states where corporations dictate what the regulations are, how they are monitored, and how violations are dealt with.
The new laws in Canada specifically say the GOV does not have to deal with Natives anymore and the natives have zero ways to defend themselves in courts afterwards.
If these projects are labelled correctly there is nothing anyone can do in Canada to defend themselves in court if something goes badly.
The corporations of today are only interested in the bottom line, so I would suggest there will be many environmental issues and Natives will be pushed from their villages/homes/trap lines/territories for the project to move forward, and they will have nothing to say about it.
To hope that corporations are going to do the right thing is insanity in my eyes.
Also that it doesn't use anything that China has patented as they have stated that anything refined with their patented techniques is under their control.
GREAT post Fred! I love this line "Working with provinces and First Nations instead of bulldozing over them"! Yes, too much has been done by "bulldozing over First Nations", causing major disturbance unnecessarily. Talk to them, get their input, pay attention to concerns & keep communication open.
🇨🇦💙 Carney’s 💚 choice in refining lithium - Mangrove’s Clear-Li” Electrodialysis: Lithium for tomorrow’s market.
CEO Saad Dara co-founded Mangrove Lithium in 2017 using technology developed during his PhD at the University of British Columbia.
The process uses fewer chemicals, produces less waste, and can handle feed from brines, hard rock, clays, geothermal direct lithium extraction, and battery recycling. Conventional plants turn lithium sulfate into lithium hydroxide by adding sodium hydroxide, which leaves a sodium sulfate waste stream — Mangrove’s electrochemical approach eliminates that.
🇨🇦 This is a Canadian company with Canadian technology and a Canadian IP, but it has German, American, and Japanese money behind it. Think of it like many Canadian tech companies: founded and based in Canada, technology developed in Canada, but internationally funded. The Canadian government has been deliberate about ensuring the IP stays in Canada regardless of who the investors are. The Canada Growth Fund invested up to US$65 million as part of a US$85 million financing package alongside BMW.
Green buyers are the EU, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and Australia — essentially the entire Western battery manufacturing world.
China’s stranglehold on coal powered refining looked unassailable five years ago. It’s starting to crack. A big win for Canada and a big swallow for naysayers.
Good and those against this have no idea how economics works. You have to spend money, get people working to help fix the debt. Doing nothing allows interest to build on the already enormous debt but investment is needed. Moving forward is needed. The workforce is what keeps this country running, so we need workers.
We need to amplify this message at every opportunity. In the past couple of years, LNG Canada, Coastal GasLink, the TransMountain pipeline expansion and the Site C dam have entered operation and more are in the works. Proposed projects in northern BC total $200 billion. ReNew magazine's annual Top 100 list of public infrastructure projects is valued at $343 billion. There's a tremendous amount happening but it's much easier to perpetuate the negativity!
Well, there’s an even bigger picture because the federal government hasn’t actually been blocking major projects despite the narrative that they are trying to shut down the resource industries, specifically oil and gas. While some policies may have been irritants, calling them deterrents to action really attests to the risk aversion of Canada’s business community! :-)
I am nicking the essence of this post. Norway has been a raw material "slave" to EU. With the discovery of a very promising field of minerals we have an opportunity to change that.
Do you have information on this: Heard Premier Wakeham of NFLD- LAB talk on tv about an off-shore oil drilling project, partnering with BP and another company. Ottawa is putting 1 B into the licensing for this project.
I think Wakeham even said they plan on loading product from the platform at the drill site.
Big projects take big planning to be successful - with all the players involved. When all are in the same room reviewing details together at the same time - execution is faster with fewer issues. Build Canada Build!
Largest Nickel miner in the western world once Canada Nickel Company starts shipping , if this project gets approved soon, you can add this to the list as well
Pierre and people like him are taking steps from the Trump playbook. If you say it long enough many people will believe it to be true. As for the refinery, hopefully Canadian regulators will take proper measures to ensure it meets high standards to protect the environment and lives of people in the surrounding area unlike what goes on here in the states where corporations dictate what the regulations are, how they are monitored, and how violations are dealt with.
Carole... you’re hitting on two different issues that both matter.
On the messaging side, yeah… repetition works.
If people hear “nothing gets built” often enough, it starts to feel true...
even when the evidence says otherwise.
On the refinery, I agree with you.
If Canada’s going to move up the value chain, we don’t get to cut corners to do it.
The whole advantage we should have is doing it cleaner, safer, and with real oversight...
otherwise we’re just copying the worst parts of the system we’re trying to compete with.
The encouraging part here is that projects like this don’t move forward without environmental review and local involvement anymore...
especially with First Nations at the table.
That doesn’t mean “perfect”… but it does mean there are more eyes on it than there used to be.
And honestly, that’s the real balancing act going forward...
Build more... without becoming careless in the process.
That’s where this either works… or backfires.
I don't follow…
The new laws in Canada specifically say the GOV does not have to deal with Natives anymore and the natives have zero ways to defend themselves in courts afterwards.
If these projects are labelled correctly there is nothing anyone can do in Canada to defend themselves in court if something goes badly.
The corporations of today are only interested in the bottom line, so I would suggest there will be many environmental issues and Natives will be pushed from their villages/homes/trap lines/territories for the project to move forward, and they will have nothing to say about it.
To hope that corporations are going to do the right thing is insanity in my eyes.
Also that it doesn't use anything that China has patented as they have stated that anything refined with their patented techniques is under their control.
Keith... fair point.
China’s edge isn’t just volume, it’s also patents and processing methods.
That’s why this move matters...
Canada’s pushing alternative refining tech so we’re not tied to their system.
It won’t be completely independent overnight…
but it’s a step toward controlling more of our own supply chain 👍
GREAT post Fred! I love this line "Working with provinces and First Nations instead of bulldozing over them"! Yes, too much has been done by "bulldozing over First Nations", causing major disturbance unnecessarily. Talk to them, get their input, pay attention to concerns & keep communication open.
Patsy... I’m glad that line landed for you.
That’s really the shift, isn’t it…
These projects don’t move anymore unless people along the route are part of the conversation.
Not perfect, not always smooth...
but a whole lot better than the old “decide first, deal with fallout later” approach.
When it’s done right, it’s not just about avoiding conflict…
It actually makes the project stronger and more durable long-term 👍
Totally absolutely agree Fred!!!
And doing it quietly and patiently by the look of it and not threatening them publicly, the way it should be done. Respect.
Hopefully we (Canadians) own that lithium facility and not some foreign entity. It’s important to keep our resources Canadian owned.
Richard... I get where you’re coming from.
Ownership matters…
but so does getting the project built and keeping the value here...
jobs, processing, and supply chain.
Reality is, a lot of these projects end up as partnerships.
The key is making sure Canada keeps a meaningful stake and control where it counts.
That’s the balance... attract investment… without giving the whole store away 👍
🇨🇦💙 Carney’s 💚 choice in refining lithium - Mangrove’s Clear-Li” Electrodialysis: Lithium for tomorrow’s market.
CEO Saad Dara co-founded Mangrove Lithium in 2017 using technology developed during his PhD at the University of British Columbia.
The process uses fewer chemicals, produces less waste, and can handle feed from brines, hard rock, clays, geothermal direct lithium extraction, and battery recycling. Conventional plants turn lithium sulfate into lithium hydroxide by adding sodium hydroxide, which leaves a sodium sulfate waste stream — Mangrove’s electrochemical approach eliminates that.
🇨🇦 This is a Canadian company with Canadian technology and a Canadian IP, but it has German, American, and Japanese money behind it. Think of it like many Canadian tech companies: founded and based in Canada, technology developed in Canada, but internationally funded. The Canadian government has been deliberate about ensuring the IP stays in Canada regardless of who the investors are. The Canada Growth Fund invested up to US$65 million as part of a US$85 million financing package alongside BMW.
Green buyers are the EU, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and Australia — essentially the entire Western battery manufacturing world.
China’s stranglehold on coal powered refining looked unassailable five years ago. It’s starting to crack. A big win for Canada and a big swallow for naysayers.
Roxy... that’s a great breakdown.
Mangrove’s approach is exactly the kind of shift that matters...
cleaner process, less waste, and Canadian-developed tech instead of copying the old model.
And you nailed the ownership piece too…
Canadian IP, built here, with international capital behind it.
That’s how a lot of serious projects get off the ground.
If this scales the way it’s supposed to, it’s not just a win for Canada...
it chips away at China’s hold on refining.
Appreciate you adding the detail 👍
Thx! This is exactly why we’re on Substack and not Legacy media. 😏
Good and those against this have no idea how economics works. You have to spend money, get people working to help fix the debt. Doing nothing allows interest to build on the already enormous debt but investment is needed. Moving forward is needed. The workforce is what keeps this country running, so we need workers.
Exactly... you don’t shrink an economy by sitting on your hands.
If the money’s going into projects that create jobs, build infrastructure,
and generate future revenue… that’s investment, not just spending.
Do nothing, and the debt just sits there getting more expensive.
Move forward, and at least you’ve got something working for you 👍
What a great piece Fred.
I love your always qualified researches.
And your way of responding to opponents is always civilised.
Hans... I appreciate that, thank you.
I try to keep it grounded in facts and keep the temperature down…
there’s enough noise out there already.
Good conversations still matter 👍
We need to amplify this message at every opportunity. In the past couple of years, LNG Canada, Coastal GasLink, the TransMountain pipeline expansion and the Site C dam have entered operation and more are in the works. Proposed projects in northern BC total $200 billion. ReNew magazine's annual Top 100 list of public infrastructure projects is valued at $343 billion. There's a tremendous amount happening but it's much easier to perpetuate the negativity!
Paul... exactly.
When you stack it all up...
LNG Canada, Coastal GasLink, Trans Mountain, Site C… and what’s still in the pipeline...
it’s hard to argue “nothing’s happening” with a straight face.
There’s a lot moving… it just doesn’t fit the doom narrative, so it gets ignored.
Appreciate you laying out the bigger picture 👍
Well, there’s an even bigger picture because the federal government hasn’t actually been blocking major projects despite the narrative that they are trying to shut down the resource industries, specifically oil and gas. While some policies may have been irritants, calling them deterrents to action really attests to the risk aversion of Canada’s business community! :-)
Great post Fred, thank you💯🇨🇦💪🏻
I am nicking the essence of this post. Norway has been a raw material "slave" to EU. With the discovery of a very promising field of minerals we have an opportunity to change that.
Peter... that’s a great comparison.
That shift from shipping raw materials to owning more of the value chain…
that’s where the real leverage is.
Sounds like Norway’s at a similar crossroads...
and if you get that part right, it changes the game long-term
Do you have information on this: Heard Premier Wakeham of NFLD- LAB talk on tv about an off-shore oil drilling project, partnering with BP and another company. Ottawa is putting 1 B into the licensing for this project.
I think Wakeham even said they plan on loading product from the platform at the drill site.
Haven’t looked into that one yet Joanne...
if I do, I’ll cover it in a post 👍
Thank you for an article that puts the truth and progress out there. It is so easy to be negative.
Big projects take big planning to be successful - with all the players involved. When all are in the same room reviewing details together at the same time - execution is faster with fewer issues. Build Canada Build!
Largest Nickel miner in the western world once Canada Nickel Company starts shipping , if this project gets approved soon, you can add this to the list as well