Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, Aug. 25, 2015

End legislators’ ability to make bad choices like crazy lawsuit

In regards to the insane lawsuit, make that the insanely expensive lawsuit: Tell me again how to recall these guys?

A significant majority of Alaskans wants this expansion, many Alaskans need it, our state cannot afford this lawsuit, and we the people might just be ready to end forever their ability to make any more bad choices.

-- L.L. Raymond

Homer

Use international treaty to keep us safe from Canadian mines

Alaskans, including our congressional delegation, tribes, commercial fishermen and mayors, have expressed concerns about the effects on the Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers from upstream mining in British Columbia. Dissatisfied with the British Columbia mine review process many Alaskans are demanding the U.S. State Department use the Boundary Waters Treaty, which prohibits the pollution of shared U.S. and Canadian waters, to convene an international review of the potential effects on Alaska from British Columbia's mining.

It's insulting to hear B.C. officials allege Alaskans are ignorant of what goes on in their province and we just need to learn more. B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines, Bill Bennett, was quoted in the Aug. 16 Alaska Dispatch News as saying, "People of Southeast Alaska don't know a lot about how we do business in B.C. … What is missing from the dialogue between B.C. and Alaska is factual information."

What's missing is not information, but a strong mechanism for Alaska to ensure its interests are not harmed by B.C.'s activities. If your business were threatened by a neighbor's activities wouldn't you want to negotiate a solution using the strongest legal means possible? Alaska is not just another stakeholder in B.C.'s permitting process. Alaska is the sovereign downstream state protected by the Boundary Waters Treaty. Why should we surrender the treaty's protections and just participate in a mine review process that is completely controlled by B.C.?

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When Bennett is in Juneau next week I hope he stops dismissing our concerns as being based on ignorance and understands that we want a strong, international mechanism to protect our rivers.

-- Chris Zimmer

Juneau

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.

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