Arguments Being Prepared In Mine License Challenge

Arguments Being Prepared In Mine License Challenge

Monday, January 25, 2010 at 15:07

 

 

A hearing for a legal challenge involving a northern Saskatchewan uranium mine might be coming in May or June.

 

That’s the word from the lawyer for the Athabasca Territorial Government, which is challenging the way an eight-year mining license was awarded to AREVA Resources.

 

The group, which is made up of the three Dene First Nations and the four municipalities in the region, says it wasn’t properly consulted over the move.

 

Lawyer Bruce Slusar says it’s clear that the duty to consult process the Saskatchewan government has been using is inadequate.

 

Slusar notes the guidelines don’t involve environmental stewardship or land use planning, but, he says, those are the very issues that are on the minds of the people of the Athabasca Basin.

 

Slusar says the Athabasca government has established its own protocol for development in the area.

 

He says the protocol document has been shown to the province, which is working to hammer out a new duty-to-consult policy framework.

 

Both AREVA and the Attorney General of Canada have been named as respondents in the case, while the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is seeking to intervene.

 

Arguments in the case are due by the end of February.