The Wilderness Committee, a non-profit organization dedicated to protect Canadian wilderness, was back in court today for the hearing of the final arguments in the defamation lawsuit brought by Taseko Mining Limited.

 

Taseko sued the Wilderness Committee in 2012 over comments made in the organization’s website during a public comment period for Taseko’s proposed New Prosperity Mine. 

 

Taseko believes that the comments published by the committee in its website and Facebook page were defamatory in that they were understood to mean that the mining company was, among others, “environmentally irresponsible” and “a poor corporate citizen.”

 

The nonprofit, on the other hand, argues that the publications only contained fair comments and that the intention behind the lawsuit is to discourage them from participating in the public discussion over Taseko’s mining project. 

 

“[This] is a strategic lawsuit against public participation,” Wilderness Committee national campaign director Joe Foy said. “It is a lawsuit designed to make us shut up and be quiet, but also make up other people in society afraid to speak against this company.”

 

Taseko proposes to develop a gold-copper mine 125 kilometres to the southwest of Williams Lake. B.C. According to the mining company, the project would create 700 construction jobs for two years, plus 550 direct and 1,280 indirect jobs over its 20-year operating life. 

 

The project was rejected in 2010 by the federal government because of numerous environmental and Indigenous rights concerns.

 

Two years later, a revised version of the project was also rejected by the federal government.

 

Before the start of the court hearing, around 20 representatives from the Tsilhqot’in Nation, which opposes the project and holds aboriginal title rights to lands adjacent to the proposed mine site, and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) gathered outside the Supreme Court to show their support for the Wilderness Committee.

 

“The Wilderness Committee has supported us for many years, so now we’re here to stand in unity with them,” said Xeni Gwet'in councillor Marilyn Baptiste, one of the six Tsilhqot'in Nation communities.

 

“It is our duty and responsibility to stand up and protect mother earth; and that is a duty and responsibility that the Wilderness Committee also carries.”

 

For Foy, the support of the Tsilhqot’in Nation and UBCIC is vital and encourages the Wilderness Committee to continue fighting against the lawsuit.

 

“We're very grateful to have [their] support. It makes us very proud,” he said. “We're not budging. We're just determined to stand our ground.  This company cannot silence us.”

 

Tribal chairman of Tsilhqot’in National Government Chief Joe Alphonse, who was also present at the courthouse, agrees with Foy that Taseko’s intention is to limit the propagation of opinions that oppose the mining project.

 

“We think [the court case] is not right. The Canada that we live in is freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and that's why a lot of people come to this country,” Chief Alphonse said.

 

“Regardless of what position — whether you support a mine or you don't, or anything on any other project— everybody has the right to express themselves.”

 

The hearing of the final arguments will continue until Thursday, April 2.