As a possible workaround to the escalating tariffs and duties from the United States, a group of B.C. First Nations is exploring a bold plan to engage in free trade with Indigenous communities in the United States.

“We can’t keep getting cut to death here. We’re dying by a death of a thousand tariffs here. We need to find something that’s going to get us through this,” said Dallas Smith, Nanwakolas Council president.

Nanwakolas Council is made up of six First Nations: The Mamalilikulla, Tlowitsis, Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala, Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai, and K’ómoks First Nations.

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With Indigenous Nations to the south, the council is talking seriously about cross-border nation-to-nation free trade, to circumvent escalating duties on softwood lumber.

“There’s been a lot of

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