Judge rules aboriginal elders, journalists can stay

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/03/2010 (5924 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A federal court judge has rejected a request by the Canadian government to bar journalists and aboriginal elders from a hearing into whether secret documents ought to remain secret.

Canada is claiming that more than 200 documents such as briefing notes and correspondence ought to be covered under solicitor-client priviledge. Those same documents could prove Ottawa is liable because it failed to protect three bands in the 1960s when a hydro dam flooded their land.

After a morning of wrangling, the judge said all debate about whether the documents are indeed privileged ought to be done as much as possible in open court. That will allow reporters and about 50 elders gathered this morning to remain in the courtroom, except when the two sides can’t find a way to discuss the documents without revealing what’s in them.

The First Nations say the whole case, which is now in its 18 year, is a waste of time and taxpayers money. Ottawa should simply negotiate, the say.