Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 03/05) - Newly-elected Ndilo Chief Fred Sangris says the federal government should look to the Yellowknives Dene to clean up Giant Mine.

Chief Fred Sangris: He's worried a southern firm would not respect what is on-site now and how it would look once it was cleaned up.

"We're the ones that should be doing the clean-up because we remember what it was like (before the mine)," said Sangris while speaking during federal funding announcement at the mine site yesterday.

Sangris is worried a southern firm would not respect what is on-site now and how it would look once it was cleaned up.

His audience included federal Environment Minister Stephane Dion and Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew.

The minister was in Yellowknife to unveil this year's funding for ongoing clean-up of Giant and 96 other contaminated sites across Canada - valued at $138.7 million, with an estimated $10.6 million of it going to Giant Mine.

The total clean-up bill both above and underground at the site is expected to reach $330 million by the time it's complete in about 10 years time.

The government is planning to freeze massive amounts of arsenic trioxide buried underground, plus removing most of the buildings on the surface and reconfigure contaminated Baker Creek.

Sangris later said a contract given to the Yellowknives would not only create a lot of jobs for members, but the city as a whole. He said hopefully they can attract enough former workers still living in Yellowknife who could help out.

"Who's the real expert at mine clean-up? Mine workers," said Sangris. "The guys that worked here."

During his speech, Sangris talked about the "pain" of having to pass by Giant Mine while driving down the Ingraham Trail.

He said he realized that some residents would like to see some of the mine buildings saved as monuments to Yellowknife's gold mining days, but he'd prefer if they were all torn down.

"Whenever we see this mine site here it's a pain," said Sangris.

"To you it may be a monument, but to us it's a pain."

When asked what he thought of Sangris' suggestion, Dion said he would like to see more aboriginal involvement with the project, but outside expertise will still be needed.

"It's a very, very complex issue," said Dion. "You may be sure that the best experts will help clean up the mess."

The minister took a trip underground at the mine to see the arsenic chambers for himself. He said miners working underground during the mine's 60-year lifetime must have been "courageous."