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Eighteen volumes of arcane records will be the focus as the trial pitting trappers from Grassy Narrows against the Crown and AbitibiBowater begins this week in Toronto. At stake is the province's authority to grant logging licences on land claimed by First Nations under the Treaty.
During 75 days of hearings, which will take proceedings into April, expert witnesses from both sides will delve into the details of agreements dating back to Confederation as well as interpretations of clauses within Treaty 3 itself.
"We have a lot of history to plow through," acknowledged Robert Janes, counsel for the plaintiffs from Grassy Narrows.
The original suit was launched more than nine years ago. Unfortunately, one of the complainants, Willie Keewatin, passed away before it came to trial.
His commitment to the process was honoured by community members earlier this year. The other two trappers involved are Joe Bill Fobister and Andrew Keewatin.
They were later involved in starting the permanent blockade at Slant Lake at the end of 2002, which blocked access to parts of the Whiskey Jack Forest. Negotiations between the province and the First Nation are ongoing, with the help of facilitator Frank Iacobucci, the former Supreme Court Justice who helped settle the residential schools common experience agreement.
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