Federal Court - Christian Aboriginal Infrastructure Developments ...

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[52] Mr. Leonard Bourgh was the second witness called on behalf of the Plaintiffs. He had
worked in and around sawmills all his life, beginning as a young boy during the Second World War.
Together with his brother, he had established a sawmill in British Columbia, first in Greenwood and
later in the Cariboo area, south of Quesnel. He spent all of his working life in British Columbia until
he moved to Watson Lake, Yukon, in 1995.
2010 FC 495 (CanLII)
[53] He had visited the area previously and had concluded that there was a good supply of timber
there. He made the move from British Columbia to Watson Lake with the intention “to try to build a
sawmill”. In pursuit of that goal, Mr. Bourgh incorporated LPL pursuant to Yukon Territory
legislation in 1996.
[54] Mr. Bourgh contributed the sum of $220,000, his life savings, to the capital of LPL.
[55] Mr. Bourgh testified about the initial planning and efforts taken by LPL to commence
sawmill operations in Yukon. These efforts included the preparation of business plans, meetings
with DIAND and with the Minister, at that time the Honourable Ron Irwin, in Dawson City, Yukon.
[56] Mr. Bourgh resigned his position as President of LPL in April 1997.
[57] Mr. William (“Bill”) Gurney next testified on behalf of the Plaintiffs. He had worked for
twenty years in the forestry industry, both directly and indirectly. He has worked as logging
contractor, sawmill owner, teacher of forestry at both high school and college levels, and as a