Lubicon arson trial starts

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The trial of a Lubicon band member accused of fire-bombing logging equipment more than two years ago is finally underway.

Reinie Jobin's jury trial on arson and mischief charges began Feb. 16 in provincial court in Edmonton. Jobin was charged after a fire in November, 1990 did an estimated $25,000 damage to a logging camp at Haig Lake, 350 kilometres north of Edmonton.

The camp, run by Buchanan Lumber, a subcontractor to Diashowa Canada's Peace River pulp mill, was on land claimed by the Lubicon. Jobin is one of 13 Lubicons to go to court over charges relating to the incident.

Court heard testimony on the opening day from RCMP Const. Ralph Cardinal, the officer who responded to the logging camp fire on the night of Nov. 24, 1990.

Cardinal said he received a telephone call at around 9 p.m. at the Red Earth RCMP office, 350 km north of Edmonton. The unidentified caller said the Lubicons were planning to blockade the loggers and there might be some tire burning.

Cardinal arrived at the Buchanan camp, 60 km west of Red Earth, to find a truck, a trailer and a log skidder on fire.

Three Buchanan employees at the camp said the fire-bombing occurred at 9 p.m. Vandals slashed tired and stranded the loggers without vehicles or communications in

-30 C weather.

Jobin's name was on a search warrant issued Nov. 28 used by RCMP to enter a claim at Haig Lake. Scraps of clothing that match those used to make the fire bombs were found near the cabin, a police investigator said.

Sgt. Peter Calvert, the RCMP officer who headed the investigation, testified Feb. 17 that he didn't know why Jobin's name was used in the warrant.

Minutes from a Peace River RCMP meeting four days after the fire-bombing referred to Jobin as "a fall guy."