(Canada) Supreme Court to rule on miners' widows' lawsuit (9 murdered during 1992 dispute)

[Omaha Steve]

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/newstoday/article/495445

Published Friday November 28th, 2008

OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will rule on a long-running dispute over compensation for the widows of nine men murdered during a labour dispute at a northern gold mine 16 years ago.

It's a case that could force unions to take responsibility for violent members and make security services accountable for failing to keep people safe.

The high court, in a decision released without comment yesterday, agreed to review the claims of the Giant Mine widows. They won $10 million in damages after their husbands were killed in an underground explosion during a violent strike at the Yellowknife mine in 1992, but saw that award quashed on appeal.

"It likely will be a landmark decision," said Jeff Champion, the widows' lawyer.

The underground bombing came during a bitter strike-lockout in which now-defunct Royal Oak Mines used non-union replacement workers.

Roger Warren, who planted the explosives, is serving a life sentence on nine counts of second-degree murder.

FULL story at link.