Mining Bill dropped amid fear-mongering and lack of support from Quebec City

Quebec's mining industry may be in tougher times now since it has just lost support from Quebec City. 

In a report by The Gazette, Bill 54 has just been dropped from the National Assembly's to-do list. 

The mining reform bill initially proposed by the Parti Quebecois last year in its electoral campaign promised higher royalties for mining companies. 

But a lack of support from Opposition MNAs has prevented the bill from moving forward. 

Adding insult to injury is U.S. aluminum maker Alcoa. 

With nine smelters across Quebec, the company has threatened to shut down a third of its facilities due to increasing power rates the government is proposing.  

Premier Pauline Marois accused Alcoa of eliciting fear. 

But opposition Liberal MNA Jean-Marc Fournier says that an anti-Quebec movement has grown, accusing the minority P-Q government of economic sabotage.

New statistics show that investments in the mining sector are to slide by nearly 10 percent in 2013.