Thank you, Ms. Stubbs, for that question.
I would offer that the industry I represent is full of incredibly dynamic, hard-working, inspiring, and proud folks, but realistic. They are dreamers, but it's realistic optimism, I think, and that's the difference.
With respect to the transboundary relations between Alaska and B.C., obviously they're based on the transboundary waters. There are five major rivers that flow from B.C. into Alaska—so the Alaskans are downstream, as it were.
I think it's a very important and serious matter to be discussed. The reality is that there are potentially many mining projects in the northwest area of British Columbia; however, as I think was mentioned earlier by one of the other witnesses, projects move slowly. It's often a 10- to 15- to 20-year process, and it's not as if all those projects are actually going to come to fruition any time soon—certainly not all at once.
I think it's one of these things that we do engage in as a province, and of course, then, as a country, respectfully with our neighbours, and we work to understand what their concerns are. I think that has been happening. The Government of B.C. signed an MOU with Alaska over a year ago. Now it's a statement of co-operation, which I think speaks to that neighbourliness and working to involve neighbours in projects of concern. I think the concerns are reasonable, and they need to be addressed in an appropriate manner.
I know the companies involved in the area—for instance, Seabridge's KSM. They've had a very rigorous environmental assessment process that involved, of course, both B.C. and the Canadian government, and they had significant input from Alaskan regulators at both state and national levels.
There has been input in the past, and I think the statement of co-operation now formalizes, essentially, processes and efforts that had been under way. If there are improvements to be made, I think that's all the better. It's making sure we have a good dialogue with respect to first nations as well, tribes on the Alaskan side and first nations on the Canadian side. It's borderless for them in many respects, and it's important that we can take that into consideration.
l think it's heading in the right direction. I think the implementation of the statement of co-operation will be one to watch and one to be supportive of over the coming year or two.