Former Justice to represent Ontario in Ring of Fire talks

Former Supreme Court Justice Frank Iacobucci will represent the province in negotiations over resource development in northern Ontario's Ring of Fire region.His appointment was announced Tuesday morning.

Theareaisknown for its chromite deposits, about 540 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.

Iacobucci will be sitting across the table from former federal Liberal leader Bob Rae, who represents the Matawa Tribal Council. Rae is also the former NDP premier of Ontario.

Rae and Iacobucciwill talk about environmental protection, infrastructure, revenue sharing and social supports.

Those talks are expected to cost the province hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Minister of Northern Development and MinesMichael Gravelle says that's the price of doing the job right.

'This is something that has been budgeted for in our ministry, and it was put in place last year actually, and we are committed to meeting those costs," Gravelle said.

There's no word on when the negotiations will begin, but Iacobucci will report directly to Gravelle. He retired from the Supreme Court in 2004.