Federal Court - Christian Aboriginal Infrastructure Developments ...

Page: 106
[418] The meeting was held on April 7 th . Representatives of SYFC participated both in person and
by teleconference. The teleconference took place between Whitehorse and Ottawa. Representatives
of DIAND participated in the same teleconference and a verbatim transcript was maintained of that
meeting. That transcript is Exhibit P-79, Tab 144.
[419] Several important points emerged from this meeting. A timeline was established for THA
2010 FC 495 (CanLII)
development, the Department re-affirmed the importance of the mill for Yukon and the Department
committed to assisting the Plaintiffs in getting the necessary timber. This included commitments to
have CTP harvesting off future THA lands and that cutting could commence before the THA was
finalized.
[420] It was proposed that THA proposals would be accepted in the fall of 1999 with a view to
having approved THAs in place by April 2000; see Exhibit P-79, Tab 143.
[421] The request for proposal (“RFP”) was not released until October 2001.
[422] I find it noteworthy that this meeting was arranged and took place so soon after SYFC’s
letter of March 19 th in which Mr. Heit advised that he was going to recommend to the mill owners
that the project relocate elsewhere.
[423] Given the discussions and commitments made during this April 7 th meeting, the Heit letter
of March 19 th and the other evidence in the documentary evidence that the Plaintiffs were prepared