POSTSCRIPT

The Raglan Agreement is considered a successful agreement especially in regards to the financial compensation being realized by the Inuit. Makivik, an experienced corporation, has been able to organize participation of all their communities and negotiate a significant financial compensation for mining activity on their land. (This differs sharply from Lutsel K’e Dene’s earlier agreements.) The Raglan Agreement shows how a representative Aboriginal regional organization can bring together experience and capacity in order to achieve solid long-term benefits for the communities affected by a mine.

Raglan also demonstrates the importance of having a cooperative relationship between the Aboriginal group and the mining company:

“However impressive the Raglan Agreement may be, it’s still just a piece of paper. What really matters is the attitude of the parties – after the Agreement is signed. With Raglan, certainly there have been (and continue to be) problems to solve, but the attitude on both sides has remained very positive, seeking solutions instead of finding obstacles.” ⁶

(Robert Lanari, Project Director, Makivik Corporation)