McKinnon, Larche to be questioned at Lac hearing

Prospectors Donald McKinnon and John Larche are scheduled to appear at an Ontario Supreme Court hearing in which Lac Minerals (TSE) is trying to get a retrial of its court case with Corona Corp. (TSE) regarding ownership of the Williams gold mine at Hemlo, Ont.

Lac is attempting to win a new trial to overturn a 1986 Ontario Supreme Court judgment in which Mr Justice R. E. Holland awarded the mine to Corona. That decision was later upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Lac alleges that evidence given by prospector Donald McKinnon, a key witness in the original trial, was both false and misleading.

By proving that 12 claims staked in the Hemlo region by McKinnon were illegally registered, Lac is attempting to cast doubt on the prospectors’ testimony in the original trial. The claims are not related to the Williams mine.

William Sasso, who is the lawyer representing Lac in the Ontario Supreme Court hearing, said he will prove that McKinnon made a practice of preparing and filing false documents to establish an interest in mining claims.

But lawyers working on behalf of Corona have argued that McKinnon had nothing to do with Judge Holland’s decision regarding a breach of confidence and fiduciary duty by Lac to Corona.

The hearing, which began Sept 19, was scheduled to last for two weeks but may take longer depending on the judge’s other commitments. The two Toronto companies are also scheduled to appear before the Supreme Court of Canada on Oct 11 in an appeal of Judge Holland’s decision.