A top Wisconsin tribal leader criticized the passage of the mining law in a speech to the Legislature Tuesday, calling for improving state and tribal relationships and cooperation.

Gordon Thayer, chair of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, gave the State of the Tribes speech Tuesday. He told a joint session of legislators that Wisconsin tribes oppose the mining law passed this year.

“We cannot cash in our natural resources for corporate profit,” Thayer said.

Thayer said despite there being some positive aspects in tribal and state relations, the mining bill process showed there is much room for improvement.

Thayer said the mining process showed legislators often do not get input from “all affected parties.”

“A lesson to be learned from this is that better consultation between the states and the tribes is needed,” Thayer said. “Make no mistake. The 11 tribes in Wisconsin oppose the proposed mine and its permitting process, and we stand unified … with our relatives at the Bad River Reservation.”

The mining bill passed earlier this year largely on party lines, with Republicans saying the bill protects the environment. Democrats, the tribe and environmental groups said the mine would deteriorate water levels at the tribe reservation.

Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, one of the mining law’s top advocates, said tribal leaders did not want a mine at all and were not willing to work out a compromise.

“Back when the hearings were held in late 2011, [they] made it very clear that the mine was unacceptable under any condition,” Tiffany said. “They made their position very clear from the beginning.”

Tiffany also said some Republican outreach efforts, including a letter to the Bad River tribe chairman, were not returned.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, thanked Thayer for speaking to legislators in the annual speech in a statement.

“The State of the Tribes Address is a great opportunity to come together and learn more about the issues important to Wisconsin’s tribes,” Vos said. “It’s essential that we maintain good government-to-government communications and find the areas of shared interests. While we may not agree on every issue, we can agree to listen to each other’s concerns and work together on problems facing our state.”

Thayer did point to some positives in state and tribal relationships, such as Gov. Scott Walker signing a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of protecting the Indian Child Welfare Act.

He also said tribes play a large part in the state’s economy, giving an example of the nationwide Famous Dave’s barbecue restaurant chain. The chain’s member is still a part of Thayer’s tribe.

Thayer also took issue with the Department of Natural Resources response to the tribe’s proposed increase in walleye fishing. He charged the agency with trying to “embarrass” tribes into fishing less through its news releases.

DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said in a statement following the speech that the “drastic increase” the tribes proposed would lead to limiting other fishermen activity. That would decrease tourists in those areas, which would harm the areas’ economies, he said.