An Ontario court has ordered Hudbay to disclose internal documents as part of lawsuits related to alleged overseas incidents in 2007 and 2009.
In a June 30 news release from the law firm working for the plaintiffs, lawyer Cory Wanless said he expected “a very large number” of documents and communications that would bolster the case against the company.
He said this was the first time a court in Canada ordered the disclosure of internal documents from a Canadian multinational corporation for alleged abuses overseas.
In a statement to The Reminder, the Toronto-based Hudbay downplayed any perceived significance of the court order.
“In every civil lawsuit the defendants are required to disclose relevant information as part of the discovery process,” the company said. “Defining what is relevant in this case was the reason behind the motion itself.”
Three lawsuits relating to the Fenix nickel project in Guatemala, formerly owned by Hudbay, seek a combined total of $55 million in damages.
The lawsuits allege security forces at the mine site gang-raped women, murdered a community leader and shot and paralyzed a young father. The alleged rapes occurred before Hudbay purchased Fenix.
Hudbay denies wrongdoing and none of the charges have been proven in court.
Last month’s court order requires Hudbay to disclose documentation related to its corporate structure and control over its former subsidiary in Guatemala.
Hudbay must also disclose security policies at its other mining operations, such as those in Manitoba, and documentation relating to its relations with the plaintiffs’ communities in Guatemala.
