Federal Court - Christian Aboriginal Infrastructure Developments ...

Page: 248
[944] Mr. Brian Kerr said that the B.I.D. Group was ready to become a part of the sawmill venture
except for concerns about the “security of timber”. He testified that these concerns led to a meeting
in Whitehorse in July 1997 between B.I.D., LPL and representatives of the Department.
[945] Mr. Brian Kerr said that this was a pivotal meeting. He said that before the meeting there
were “glaring holes” in the project, specifically in the construction and management areas of
2010 FC 495 (CanLII)
expertise. This meeting was critical because it would determine if the B.I.D. Group would come
onboard with their expertise. It would be the meeting that determined if the project would go ahead.
[946] It was for this meeting that Mr. Fehr and Mr. Spencer, two capable businessmen, drove 17
hours to Whitehorse in July 1997, from Vanderhoof. This meeting was arranged by Mr. Brian Kerr
with B.I.D., LPL and representatives of the Department, and was scheduled to be held at the
DIAND offices.
[947] Mr. Monty, for the Defendant, confirmed that this meeting occurred in July 1997 in
Whitehorse, in the DIAND offices. He described the meeting as simply information sharing.
However, his recollection of this meeting is entirely unsatisfactory.
[948] The sole purpose of this meeting, according to Mr. Spencer, was to “get an understanding
about the willingness to make available timber for the sawmill.” He said that the whole discussion,
and focus of the meeting, was the “willingness to make available timber for the sawmill,” in the
volume of 200,000 m 3 per year.