Another Big Win! - Supreme Court affirms inclusion of Sinixt

Dear Supporters, A procedural hearing was held today, Tuesday April 14, at the Rossland Courthouse ahead of the May judicial review. At today's hearing, West High Yield Resources (WHY) attempted to exclude the Sinixt People from participating in the judicial review. We stood alongside Sinixt in court and opposed that application. SRRAC’s directors first contacted Sinixt in June 2023 and have been working with them ever since. Sinixt's Counsel argued that their inclusion is in the interests of justice and efficiency, noting that it makes no sense to run multiple, separate proceedings on the same issue. They emphasized that this is the most procedurally appropriate path forward and confirmed that Sinixt had made multiple efforts to proceed in a coordinated and efficient way. WHY declined to engage on any workable solution. Counsel for both Sinixt and SRRAC further noted that WHY has still not filed a response to SRRAC’s petition, now more than six months overdue. The Province took no position on the application. The matter was heard by Associate Judge Stephen Schwartz, who dismissed WHY’s application in full, finding there was no legal basis for the request and that it was unnecessary. The Court also ordered that WHY pay legal costs to SRRAC and Sinixt. This is a clear legal win. It also marks the second consecutive legal defeat for West High Yield. Importantly, this outcome strengthens our position heading into May. It ensures that all parties challenging the same decision, and seeking the same remedy, will be heard together on a complete record, and that Sinixt will be present and heard. This is also an important step for reconciliation. Ensuring that Sinixt are included in proceedings that affect their territory matters, and it reflects the basic principle that their voices must be heard. We were proud to stand alongside the Sinixt People in the center of their ancestral territory, and we look forward to the hearing in May here in Rossland. As we move toward that hearing, our efforts are continuing to build. We will be in touch soon with ways to support the next phase of this work. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, Save Record Ridge Action Committee