Letter to the editor: People in our biz should see Koneline film

I saw KONELĪNE: Our land beautiful this afternoon at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto with a few geo and non-geo friends. (See film review. The Northern Miner is co-presenter of the Toronto premiere, which extends to June 16.)

It is indeed a stunningly beautiful film, superbly photographed, with some high-tech moments that any experienced geologist who has ever worked in the north will recognize (placing those transmission towers: Wow!).

The great achievement of this film to me, apart from the spectacular photography, is that it defuses issues that have pitted the old-guard red-neck bigots in our industry (and there still are far too many amongst us) against First Nation elders who are trying to preserve important cultural values within their homeland. It portrayed very human stories.

I have little or no personal patience for band politics in general but, like many of my colleagues, I have spent a lot of time sharing a canvas tent with First Nations guys whose wisdom and subtle sense of humour have been a personal learning experience to me throughout my career as a geologist, since I was a young pup in my 20s.

This film, truly, is balanced. And by not taking sides on on-going issues, its focus is poetic.

I applaud the Northern Miner for supporting this film. It got five stars in the leftist, anti-mining NOW Magazine here in Toronto, and support from the Miner. Somebody must have spiked my coffee cup a few days ago with LSD! Who would have thought!

Anyone in our biz who has the opportunity to see this film should do so.

Good on you.

Bill Barclay

Toronto

Editor-in-chief’s note: to view show times and more information, visit:

www.canadawildproductions.com/film/koneline.

See the film trailer on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/cga3ZKWclaE