A group fighting against a multi-million dollar collaboration between the northern community of Pinehouse and uranium mining companies Cameco and Areva has decided not to appeal a judge’s earlier ruling.
Last month, Justice Rothery dismissed a lawsuit brought forward by 39 plaintiffs to nullify the collaboration agreement.
Debbie Mihalicz is one of the plaintiffs and she says even though they are choosing not to pursue the issue any further through the courts at this time, they still see their case as a victory of sorts.
“We decided not to proceed at this time – really there’s more power in a future lawsuit against any other future collaboration agreements,” she says.
The lawyer representing the group, Larry Kowalchuk, says getting hit with future court costs was one of the deterrents in deciding to pursue a future case.
“The message that it sends to people who don’t have money, and we’re talking about Pinehouse which is considered the second poorest community in Canada, how do those people exercise their rights,” he asks?
In his decision, Justice Rothery ordered the plaintiffs to pay $16,000 in court costs.
The collaboration agreement is worth about $200 million over 11 years.
The group held a press conference in Saskatoon on Tuesday morning.