Briarpatch Magazine sues over Pinehouse info requests
REGINA — After more than eight months, three Reginabased journalists are taking the Northern Village of Pinehouse and its mayor Mike Natomagan to court over a two access to information requests.
On Tuesday, Valerie Zink and Andrew Loewen spoke to reporters after filing a statement of claim a day earlier at the Regina Court of Queen’s Bench regarding an investigation by Briarpatch Magazine into money paid to the village by uranium mining companies Cameco and Areva. The other plaintiff in the case is D’Arcy Hande.
A statement of claim contains allegations not proven in court.
On April 2 and April 16, the publication sent access to information requests to the village seeking financial information regarding what it calls a “controversial” $200-million agreement between the village, Pinehouse Business North (a subsidiary corporation of the village) the Kineepik Metis Local No. 9 and the uranium companies.
In particular, the plaintiffs were seeking financial statements and articles of incorporation from Pinehouse Business North outlining the distribution of year-end losses and profits to the village as well as correspondences detailing payments from Cameco and Areva to Pinehouse Business North or the village, said Loewen, the editor and publisher of Briarpatch.
A 2012 Cameco press release states that the value of the $200-million agreement is spread out over the next 11 years “with the largest benefit from employment income and business development, and the remainder from community investment.”
When asked why the village is not complying with their request, Zink said “that’s a question best directed toward the village.” Zink added they haven’t been in contact with the companies because they don’t have the documents being requested.
Natomagan and Martine Smith, the village’s administrator, couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.
In a November report, Saskatchewan privacy commissioner Gary Dickson described the requests as clear, detailed and formed according to the requirements of the privacy legislation. He said the village’s initial response to the requests — that the information was available on the village’s and a third party’s websites — was inadequate.
Dickson recommended that the provincial minister of justice and attorney general prosecute the village for failing to address defects with how it handled the requests.
Since April, the plaintiffs haven’t received any documentation pertaining to their requests, except for a letter deemed by Dickson as an inadequate response, said Zink, a freelance editor and former editor at Briarpatch.
In the statement of claim, the plaintiffs are seeking the release of the documents they requested “with no conditions on production” and that a $1,000 fine be issued on the defendants as well as compensation for the costs of the court application and any other compensation the court deems appropriate.
Noel Busse, a communications consultant with the ministry of justice, said prosecution is being considered but a decision won’t be reached until Crown prosecutors have completed a thorough review of the matter.