After last month’s mini cabinet shuffle, the new Minister for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has made a tour through the province to take stock of his new portfolio and one local opposition member isn’t impressed.

“Well, I think he’s just wrong.” That’s what Bruce Ralston had to say, responding to criticism from Kamloops North Thompson Liberal MLA Peter Milobar on the NDP’s lack of activity in the province’s mining sector.

While on NL Newsday, Ralston then pointed to things happening in all parts of the province. “For example in the northwest, the Golden Triangle, there are new mines that have opened or are opening. It’s a very, very rich area of mineral deposits particularly on the gold and copper side.”

Milobar slammed the NDP’s scarcity of approving new mines and hinted major companies may be hesitating to invest in the province.

Ralston disagreed with Milobar’s take. “Here in this region, I was talking to New Afton, they’ve got plans to extend the mine.”

“They’re going through the permitting process and that’s one of the things I’m focusing on, an ability to help the department with some of the investments we’ve made, twenty million more to get those extensions permitted.”

“It’s very cost effective as a mine, one of the most cost effective mines in North America they tell me and they’re very optimistic about the future of mining right here in Kamloops. So, I don’t know why the local MLA wouldn’t share that enthusiasm.”