VANCOUVER — The Wilderness Committee is in a B.C. court defending itself in a defamation lawsuit launched by a mining firm after the environmental group criticized the company's project.
The B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit was launched by Taseko Mines Ltd. (TSX:TKO) after the group claimed during a public comment period in 2012 that the New Prosperity mine could destroy Fish Lake.
Joe Foy, the committee's national campaign director, says the group's remarks outlining environment harm to the area were fair comment and the lawsuit is an attempt to block public participation.
The federal cabinet twice refused to an grant environmental certificate for the $1.5 billion New Prosperity gold and copper mine near Williams Lake in B.C.'s Cariboo region.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs says his own organization is puzzled by the lawsuit because it made similar and more vocal public statements, but the Wilderness Committee was singled out.
The trial is scheduled for 10 days, but a lawyer for Taseko has told a judge he expects the presentation of evidence could take up to 15 days.
