Prosecutor Explains Diesel Spill Case Against Band
Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 15:21
A Crown prosecutor with the province says a northern band could be fined $1 million or more for a diesel spill that happened two years ago.
Inez Cardinal says the charges laid against the Hatchet Lake First Nation stem from an incident in June 2006 when thousands of litres of diesel spilled into Welcome Bay at Wollaston Lake.
A 12-year-old boy was charged soon after, but Cardinal says that investigation was done by the RCMP and not all the agencies that probe such incidents.
Six charges have been laid against the band, its former chief and its former band manager.
She says the maximum amount the band could be forced to pay under the Environmental Management and Protection Act is $1 million.
As well, she says fines could be laid under the Fisheries Act.
She says the band is deemed to be responsible for the incident because it was in charge of the facility that held the fuel.
The matter has been adjourned until August.