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Cambior president takes the stand On Aug. 9, 1995, a failed tailings dam at the Omai gold mine in Guyana, owned by Montreal-based Cambior Inc., released 3.2 billion litres of cyanide-laced effluent into the ecosystem. Now, almost three years later, Cambior president Louis Gignac is about to take the stand in a court of law. >> Since the spill, a group called Recherches internationales Québec (RIQ), representing 23,000 residents of the small South American nation, have been trying to launch a class-action lawsuit against Cambior. The court hearings, scheduled to begin May 28, represent the first time a judge will hear any arguments about the case. >> But while putting Cambior's president on the stand may sound like a victory for the forces of corporate accountability, activists and sympathizers shouldn't hold their breath. >> The upcoming court dates won't deal with the issue of whether Cambior is responsible for the spill, or even whether 23,000 Guyanese residents can be granted standing in a Quebec court. These hearings will answer only one question: should this case be heard in Quebec, or should it be heard in Guyana? >> "In Quebec law, the Civil Code is clear: if the defendant is domiciled in Quebec, you can pursue the case in Quebec," says Steve Michelin, lawyer for RIQ. "As far as we're concerned, the burden is on them to explain why it shouldn't be--they have to meet the proof. We don't think they will." >> When asked about the strength of Cambior's arguments, company spokesperson Geoffrey King replied, "We are hopeful." >> The court must rule on this issue before the case can proceed, and both sides will have the option to appeal this ruling should they lose. Corporate accountability may be a good idea in theory, but in practice, it takes a long, long time. --Philip Preville
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