Latest news with #SupremeCourtofCanada
CTV News
44 minutes ago
- CTV News
Upcoming Supreme Court decision looms over fitness hearing for accused in Vancouver festival killings
On day two of a fitness hearing to determine if Adam Kai-Ji Lo is mentally fit to stand trial on 11 charges of second-degree murder, a second forensic psychiatrist took the stand. Lo is accused of intentionally driving his car through a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver on April 26. At the fitness hearing initially scheduled for two days, Judge Reg Harris has agreed evidence and witnesses can be heard, but he has delayed Crown and defence arguments pending a potentially relevant Supreme Court of Canada decision expected Friday. 'Any kind of Supreme Court of Canada decision will be binding on all lower courts and so I'm sure that our courts are very cognizant of the fact that this decision is coming out,' said Vancouver criminal lawyer Sarah Leamon, who is not involved in either case. 'And thinking about how it could apply to the cases that are currently before it.' The case in question revolves around the homicide of Nyumai Mkurazhizha in Toronto in February of 2013. Then-18-year-old Mohamed Bharwani was charged in her death and a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. A different jury at a prior hearing had determined he was fit to stand trial. Bharwani appealed his conviction and lost – and now the case is before the country's highest court. Friday's decision in Ottawa could have a direct impact on how lawyers for the Crown and defence approach Lo's case because it could set new precedent around the test for fitness to stand trial. 'I'm sure there's a lot of working going on behind the scenes to prepare for any outcome that's possible,' Leamon said. An accused person's fitness to stand trial, which is currently at issue in Lo's case, has to do with their mental health at the time of the hearing. It differs from a defence of not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder, commonly referred to as NCR. 'NCR is a completely different thing because we're looking backwards,' Leamon explained. 'We're looking at the person's mental state at the time of the alleged offence, trying to determine whether or not they had moral culpability based on that, then.' If applicable, the issue of NCR comes up at trial, not before. It's not yet clear when Harris will rule on Lo's fitness to stand trial. If he is determined to be unfit, he will be remanded to a secure mental health facility under the supervision of the British Columbia Review Board.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
A quick history of B.C.‘s Red Chris mine where three workers are trapped underground
The eyes of many are on a northern British Columbia gold and copper mine as rescue efforts are underway to free three contractors trapped underground. This is not the first time the Red Chris mine has been in the spotlight. In its decades-long history, the property 80 km south of Dease Lake, B.C., has been the focus of a hostile takeover, a Supreme Court of Canada decision, a months-long blockade, and a more recent provincial plan to combat U.S. tariffs. Here's a look at the mine's background: Acquisition and Supreme Court of Canada case In 2003, Red Chris was under the control of bcMetals Corp., but it would eventually be taken over by Imperial Metals in April 2007 at a cost of $68.6 million The mine was the focus of a landmark decision in the Supreme Court of Canada in 2010. The top court ruled that the mine could go ahead, but said that the federal government needed to do more to ensure its environmental assessment laws are followed. At the time, the government had decided that it only needed to evaluated a proposed tailings pond at the site, without considering the rest of the project. Justice Marshall Rothstein ruled that the government is obligated under the Environmental Assessment Act to consider proposed mining projects in their entirety. The ruling did not stop the mine because the court said the non-profit organization that brought forward the case, did not have a direct financial interest and it didn't challenge the project's approval — only the way it was carried out. Protests and production In 2014, protesters from the Tahltan First Nation held a months-long blockade at the mine site in response to the catastrophic collapse of a tailings pond at Imperial Metals' Mount Polley Mine in August that year. The First Nation later instigated an environmental review of the mine, and then signed on to co-manage the mine with Imperial Metals. The mine's operator said in a letter earlier this year that Red Chris has 220 Tahltan employees and spends more than $100 million annually with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation. The required permits were in place by 2015. Then-mines minister Bill Bennett said he was confident the mine wouldn't experience a similar breach to the Mount Polley mine because the Red Chris tailings storage facility has undergone three independent reviews. A post from Imperial says 2020 production at Red Chris was 88.3 million pounds copper and 73,787 ounces gold. Expansion and tariff fight The mine is currently undergoing an expansion project involving a transition from open-pit to a block-cave mining method. Imperial and Newcrest Mining Ltd. formed a joint venture for the operation of the mine in 2019, with Newcrest acting as operator. Imperial retains a 30 per cent interest. The company said the new deal would 'leverage Newcrest's unique technical expertise in block-caving operations.' Newcrest was acquired by the mine's current operator, Newmont Corporation, in 2023. In response to U.S. tariffs, the B.C. government announced earlier this year that the mine's expansion would be among 18 mining and energy projects that would be fast-tracked through some type of permit or approval from the province. Premier David Eby said the goal was to diversify the economy, assuming there would be 'four years of continual on-and-off tariff threats' from the United States under President Donald Trump. A letter from Newmont's general manager at Red Chris to the Tahltan Nation in February says the provincial decision to prioritize the block-cave project does not change Newmont's approach. 'We fully respect the Tahltan consent decision, and we are committed to building a strong partnership with Tahltan Nation based on trust, transparency, mutual benefit, and a shared vision for the future that respects Tahltan values and a Tahltan way of life,' it says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025
CTV News
3 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
A quick history of B.C.'s Red Chris mine where three workers are trapped underground
The entrance to the Red Chris mine near Iskut, B.C., is shown on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dave Middleton The eyes of many are on a northern British Columbia gold and copper mine as rescue efforts are underway to free three contractors trapped underground. This is not the first time the Red Chris mine has been in the spotlight. In its decades-long history, the property 80 km south of Dease Lake, B.C., has been the focus of a hostile takeover, a Supreme Court of Canada decision, a months-long blockade, and a more recent provincial plan to combat U.S. tariffs. Here's a look at the mine's background: Acquisition and Supreme Court of Canada case In 2003, Red Chris was under the control of bcMetals Corp., but it would eventually be taken over by Imperial Metals in April 2007 at a cost of $68.6 million The mine was the focus of a landmark decision in the Supreme Court of Canada in 2010. The top court ruled that the mine could go ahead, but said that the federal government needed to do more to ensure its environmental assessment laws are followed. At the time, the government had decided that it only needed to evaluated a proposed tailings pond at the site, without considering the rest of the project. Justice Marshall Rothstein ruled that the government is obligated under the Environmental Assessment Act to consider proposed mining projects in their entirety. The ruling did not stop the mine because the court said the non-profit organization that brought forward the case, did not have a direct financial interest and it didn't challenge the project's approval — only the way it was carried out. Protests and production In 2014, protesters from the Tahltan First Nation held a months-long blockade at the mine site in response to the catastrophic collapse of a tailings pond at Imperial Metals' Mount Polley Mine in August that year. The First Nation later instigated an environmental review of the mine, and then signed on to co-manage the mine with Imperial Metals. The mine's operator said in a letter earlier this year that Red Chris has 220 Tahltan employees and spends more than $100 million annually with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation. The required permits were in place by 2015. Then-mines minister Bill Bennett said he was confident the mine wouldn't experience a similar breach to the Mount Polley mine because the Red Chris tailings storage facility has undergone three independent reviews. A post from Imperial says 2020 production at Red Chris was 88.3 million pounds copper and 73,787 ounces gold. Expansion and tariff fight The mine is currently undergoing an expansion project involving a transition from open-pit to a block-cave mining method. Imperial and Newcrest Mining Ltd. formed a joint venture for the operation of the mine in 2019, with Newcrest acting as operator. Imperial retains a 30 per cent interest. The company said the new deal would 'leverage Newcrest's unique technical expertise in block-caving operations.' Newcrest was acquired by the mine's current operator, Newmont Corporation, in 2023. In response to U.S. tariffs, the B.C. government announced earlier this year that the mine's expansion would be among 18 mining and energy projects that would be fast-tracked through some type of permit or approval from the province. Premier David Eby said the goal was to diversify the economy, assuming there would be 'four years of continual on-and-off tariff threats' from the United States under President Donald Trump. A letter from Newmont's general manager at Red Chris to the Tahltan Nation in February says the provincial decision to prioritize the block-cave project does not change Newmont's approach. 'We fully respect the Tahltan consent decision, and we are committed to building a strong partnership with Tahltan Nation based on trust, transparency, mutual benefit, and a shared vision for the future that respects Tahltan values and a Tahltan way of life,' it says. This report by Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press, was first published July 24, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
A quick history of B.C.'s Red Chris mine where three workers are trapped underground
The eyes of many are on a northern British Columbia gold and copper mine as rescue efforts are underway to free three contractors trapped underground. This is not the first time the Red Chris mine has been in the spotlight. In its decades-long history, the property 80 km south of Dease Lake, B.C., has been the focus of a hostile takeover, a Supreme Court of Canada decision, a months-long blockade, and a more recent provincial plan to combat U.S. tariffs. Here's a look at the mine's background: Acquisition and Supreme Court of Canada case In 2003, Red Chris was under the control of bcMetals Corp., but it would eventually be taken over by Imperial Metals in April 2007 at a cost of $68.6 million The mine was the focus of a landmark decision in the Supreme Court of Canada in 2010. The top court ruled that the mine could go ahead, but said that the federal government needed to do more to ensure its environmental assessment laws are followed. At the time, the government had decided that it only needed to evaluated a proposed tailings pond at the site, without considering the rest of the project. Justice Marshall Rothstein ruled that the government is obligated under the Environmental Assessment Act to consider proposed mining projects in their entirety. The ruling did not stop the mine because the court said the non-profit organization that brought forward the case, did not have a direct financial interest and it didn't challenge the project's approval — only the way it was carried out. Protests and production In 2014, protesters from the Tahltan First Nation held a months-long blockade at the mine site in response to the catastrophic collapse of a tailings pond at Imperial Metals' Mount Polley Mine in August that year. The First Nation later instigated an environmental review of the mine, and then signed on to co-manage the mine with Imperial Metals. The mine's operator said in a letter earlier this year that Red Chris has 220 Tahltan employees and spends more than $100 million annually with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation. The required permits were in place by 2015. Then-mines minister Bill Bennett said he was confident the mine wouldn't experience a similar breach to the Mount Polley mine because the Red Chris tailings storage facility has undergone three independent reviews. A post from Imperial says 2020 production at Red Chris was 88.3 million pounds copper and 73,787 ounces gold. Expansion and tariff fight The mine is currently undergoing an expansion project involving a transition from open-pit to a block-cave mining method. Imperial and Newcrest Mining Ltd. formed a joint venture for the operation of the mine in 2019, with Newcrest acting as operator. Imperial retains a 30 per cent interest. The company said the new deal would 'leverage Newcrest's unique technical expertise in block-caving operations.' Newcrest was acquired by the mine's current operator, Newmont Corporation, in 2023. In response to U.S. tariffs, the B.C. government announced earlier this year that the mine's expansion would be among 18 mining and energy projects that would be fast-tracked through some type of permit or approval from the province. Premier David Eby said the goal was to diversify the economy, assuming there would be 'four years of continual on-and-off tariff threats' from the United States under President Donald Trump. A letter from Newmont's general manager at Red Chris to the Tahltan Nation in February says the provincial decision to prioritize the block-cave project does not change Newmont's approach. 'We fully respect the Tahltan consent decision, and we are committed to building a strong partnership with Tahltan Nation based on trust, transparency, mutual benefit, and a shared vision for the future that respects Tahltan values and a Tahltan way of life,' it says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A quick history of B.C.'s Red Chris mine where three workers are trapped underground
The eyes of many are on a northern British Columbia gold and copper mine as rescue efforts are underway to free three contractors trapped underground. This is not the first time the Red Chris mine has been in the spotlight. In its decades-long history, the property 80 km south of Dease Lake, B.C., has been the focus of a hostile takeover, a Supreme Court of Canada decision, a months-long blockade, and a more recent provincial plan to combat U.S. tariffs. Here's a look at the mine's background: Acquisition and Supreme Court of Canada case In 2003, Red Chris was under the control of bcMetals Corp., but it would eventually be taken over by Imperial Metals in April 2007 at a cost of $68.6 million The mine was the focus of a landmark decision in the Supreme Court of Canada in 2010. The top court ruled that the mine could go ahead, but said that the federal government needed to do more to ensure its environmental assessment laws are followed. At the time, the government had decided that it only needed to evaluated a proposed tailings pond at the site, without considering the rest of the project. Justice Marshall Rothstein ruled that the government is obligated under the Environmental Assessment Act to consider proposed mining projects in their entirety. The ruling did not stop the mine because the court said the non-profit organization that brought forward the case, did not have a direct financial interest and it didn't challenge the project's approval — only the way it was carried out. Protests and production In 2014, protesters from the Tahltan First Nation held a months-long blockade at the mine site in response to the catastrophic collapse of a tailings pond at Imperial Metals' Mount Polley Mine in August that year. The First Nation later instigated an environmental review of the mine, and then signed on to co-manage the mine with Imperial Metals. The mine's operator said in a letter earlier this year that Red Chris has 220 Tahltan employees and spends more than $100 million annually with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation. The required permits were in place by 2015. Then-mines minister Bill Bennett said he was confident the mine wouldn't experience a similar breach to the Mount Polley mine because the Red Chris tailings storage facility has undergone three independent reviews. A post from Imperial says 2020 production at Red Chris was 88.3 million pounds copper and 73,787 ounces gold. Expansion and tariff fight The mine is currently undergoing an expansion project involving a transition from open-pit to a block-cave mining method. Imperial and Newcrest Mining Ltd. formed a joint venture for the operation of the mine in 2019, with Newcrest acting as operator. Imperial retains a 30 per cent interest. The company said the new deal would "leverage Newcrest's unique technical expertise in block-caving operations." Newcrest was acquired by the mine's current operator, Newmont Corporation, in 2023. In response to U.S. tariffs, the B.C. government announced earlier this year that the mine's expansion would be among 18 mining and energy projects that would be fast-tracked through some type of permit or approval from the province. Premier David Eby said the goal was to diversify the economy, assuming there would be "four years of continual on-and-off tariff threats" from the United States under President Donald Trump. A letter from Newmont's general manager at Red Chris to the Tahltan Nation in February says the provincial decision to prioritize the block-cave project does not change Newmont's approach. "We fully respect the Tahltan consent decision, and we are committed to building a strong partnership with Tahltan Nation based on trust, transparency, mutual benefit, and a shared vision for the future that respects Tahltan values and a Tahltan way of life," it says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025 Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
