Robert Sanderson is first vice president of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes and was at the mining conference. He also is concerned that Alaskans don’t have legal standing to address Canadian mining.
“So that’s one thing we’re working on now is to start a dialogue with the tribal first nations first in Canada, and encourage them to work closely with their government, the provincial government, and on this side of the border, the U.S., we’re working with our Congressional delegation and the state of Alaska, which I feel could do more,” Sanderson said.
Something that may help the BC mining operations is a 2011 initiative to sign revenue sharing agreements with Canadian First Nations or tribes.
Joaqlin Estus is a reporter at KNBA in Anchorage.
