Taseko Mines in court to appeal defamation ruling

TasekoMines isin court today to appeal a 2016 ruling that anenvironmental organization's criticism of theirmining project did not constitutedefamation.

The Wilderness Committee, who won the case, argues the lawsuit was designed to silence critics of the company's proposed New Prosperity mine.

"We absolutely need legislation to protect citizens ... from being harassed from companies like this," said Joe Foy, national campaign director for the Wilderness Committee

In the originalcase, the alleged defamatory statementsagainst Taseko Mines originated inthreearticles posted on the Wilderness Committee's website,claimingthe open pit gold and copper mine would turn nearby Fish Lake into a "dump site for toxic tailings."

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After Tasekofiled a defamation claim against Wilderness Committee for those posts, the environmental organization posted two more articles, accusing Taseko of filing a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation(SLAPP) lawsuit, which is a type of lawsuit intended to silence oppositional voices.

Taseko Mines claimed these posts amounted to further defamation.

Today, Foy said he hopes Justice Gordon Funt'soriginal 2016 ruling which dismissed the defamation suit is upheld.

"The judge'srulingis quitefulsome," said Joe Foy in an interview on CBC Radio's The Early Edition.

"JusticeFuntgoes through our laws on what Canadians have a right to say and you have many defences. Truth being one of them....you're allowed to say what you believe and the judge confirmed that."

Foy said cases like this could be prevented ifB.C. hadAnti-SLAPPlegislation like Ontario and Quebec.

"We were draggedthrougha five-year, costly ... sometimesscary process. But at least we were an organization," he said.

"If you were an individual afraid of losing your home or your life savings, this would be a terrifying process. And at the end of it we havearuling that we had done nothing wrong."

Taseko Mines did not respond to a request from CBC News for comment.

In the 2016 ruling,Justice Funtdismissed the defamation suit andissued special costs in favour of WC, which Taseko Mines decided to appeal.

The appeal will take place at the BC Court of Appeal on June 7 and 8, and will be webcast live to the public as part of a newpilot project from the Court.