Daishowa Boycott Injunction Can't Be Challenged, Criticism Silenced
5/8/96
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** Topic: DAISHOWA BOYCOTT INJUNCTION CAN4T B **
** Written 1:36 PM May 8, 1996 by nn:rogols in cdp:taiga.news **
The Lubicon Case:
DAISHOWA BOYCOTT INJUNCTION CAN'T BE CHALLENGED
/From Taiga News no 17/
The Toronto-based group Friends of the Lubicons have been denied leave
to appeal a court decision they say is silencing criticism of the
trans-national paper company Daishowa. Last January, Daishowa Inc. was
granted an injunction by an Ontario divisionalcourt preventing the
Friends of The Lubicons from continuing their highky succesful boycott
campaign directed at Daishowa products. By the end of April, the
Ontario Court of Appeal denied the friends the right to challenge that
decision.
This is adding insult to injury, says Friends4spokesperson Stephen
Kenda. Granting an injunction against a peaceful consumer boycott is
an affront to Canada4s freedom of expression and now we are not even
allowed our day in court to challenge that decision.
The court would not give any reason for its decision.
When the UN Human Rights Committee ruled in 1990 that the Lubicons
couldn't achieve effective legal redress in Canada, most Canadians
probably didn't think that it applied to the rst of us as well, says
Kenda. But if you think you have equality under the law, just try to
challenge a wealthy corporation and see what happens.
The Lubicon Lake Indian Nation of northern Albertahas been fighting for
a land rights settlement for almost 60 years. In 1988, the
transnational paper giant Daishowa was given logging consession to
almost the entire traditional Lubicon land. An international boycott of
Daishowa paper products has convinced almost 50 companies representing
over 4,300 retail outlets to stop using Daishowa paper bags, forcing
the company to abandon clearcutting operations on traditional Lubicon
land since 1991. Last year the company began a massive lawsuit against
Friends of the Lubicon, claiming over $5 million damages and asking for
a permanent injunction against the consumer boycott campaign. In
January 1996 the Ontario Divisional Court rendered a split decision
granting an injunction against the boycott, arguing that it was
intended to cause economic harm to Daishowa. According to the court,
that intention renders a boycott illegal.
(Source: Press release from Friends of the Lubicon)
For further information: Stephen Kenda, spokesperson, Friends of the
Lubicon (+1) 416 763 7500
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What you can do:
People are asked to write Daishowa Executive Vice President Tom Hamaoka
indicating support for an international boycott of Daishowa paper
products and demanding that Daishowa immediately drop its legal
harassment of the Toronto Friends of the Lubicon. Noted copies should
be sent to Lubicon Chief Bernard Ominayak.
Additional information on the plight of the Lubicon can be obtained
from the Lubicon Edmonton office noted below.
Lubicon Lake Indian Nation
3536-106 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6J 1A4
Phone: (+1) 403-436-5652, Fax: (+1) 403-437-0719
E-mail: lubicon@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
World Wide Web home page: http://bioc02.uthscsa.edu/gst/nl/lubicon.html
Mr. Tom Hamaoka, Executive Vice President
Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd.
Suite 3500 - Park Place, 666 Burrard Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6C 2X8
Phone: (604) 684-4326 Fax: (604) 681-8659