| Wahgoshig Win Injunction | 6 January 12 |
A northeastern Ontario First Nation, Wahgoshig First Nation, has won an injunction to temporarily prevent junior mining company Solid Gold Resources from drilling on their traditional lands.In a January 3, 2012 Ontario Superior Court decision, Justice Carole Brown ordered Solid Gold Resources to stop drilling for 120 days while the company and the Ontario government pay for a third party mediator to begin a consultation process with Wahgoshig First Nation. Brown found that the company made a "willful effort not to consult" with the community despite provincial requests since 2009. The provincial government even offered to "facilitate the process" for Solid Gold. Wahgoshig hunters came across the company's drilling crew in the spring of 2011, and the workers refused to reveal the name of their employer. The area in which Solid Gold Resources was drilling contains ancient burial grounds and many sacred sites. Wahgoshig band officials managed to find out Solid Gold was the company behind the drilling. They attempted to initiate contact with Solid Gold, but receiving no response they applied for the injunction. "We are very pleased with this decision. We feel that justice has been done," said Wahgoshig Chief David Babin. View January 3, 2012 Superior Court of Ontario DecisionView January 4, 2012 Olthuis, Kleer, Townshend (OKT) LLP blog post View January 4, 2012 Mining Watch Canada article View January 4, 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) article View January 5, 2012 Winnipeg Free Press article View January 6, 2012 Northern Ontario Business article View Manitoba Wildlands Aboriginal Court Cases & Consultations page |
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