Spin begins with Platinex renoucing factum call for more jail

ct of appeal will decide as platinex spins away.

Lawyers for Platinex won't oppose sentencing appeal by aboriginal
protesters



TORONTO _ Six aboriginal protesters will likely remain free from

jail after lawyers representing a northern **>Ontario<** mining company

agreed not to oppose an appeal of their sentences.



The six members of the KI First Nation in northern Ontario were

freed temporarily after being sentenced to six months in jail for

disobeying court orders in an ongoing dispute with miner Platinex

Inc.



The lawyers did not extend the same offer to Ardoch Algonquin

First Nation leader Bob Lovelace, who remains in jail for a similar

court breach in eastern Ontario.



Chris Reid, the lawyer for the two aboriginal groups, says

Ontario is refusing to even discuss the Lovelace matter because his

community is non-status.



Reid says **>Aboriginal Affairs<** Minister **>Michael Bryant<** walked
out

of a meeting Tuesday with the so-called ``KI Six'' when the

conversation turned to Lovelace's fate.



The protesters are calling on the government to change the Mining

Act to allow First Nations to say no to exploration and mining

activities on their traditional territory.