Potentially historic lawsuit over Canada's climate inaction now in court
A group of young Canadian activists is suing the federal government, demanding a binding climate plan to secure their future. This landmark case could reshape environmental law.
The streets were lined with supporters outside a Vancouver courtroom where history is in the making.
Fifteen young plaintiffs have officially taken the federal government to trial over the climate crisis in La Rose versus His Majesty the King.
It’s taken seven years to get here, with the motion first filed in 2019. But now, their arguments are finally being weighed on their merits. The group claims Ottawa's fossil fuel subsidies and missed emissions targets breach their Charter rights to life and personal security.
(Максим Шмаков/ iStock/ Getty Images Plus)
Here’s the critical detail: Ottawa agrees climate change is real. The judge must decide if Ottawa is legally required to stop fuelling it.
The plaintiffs aren’t asking for money. They want a binding, court-mandated climate plan that no future administration can undo. Whatever happens in that room, it could fundamentally rewrite environmental law across the country.
Thumbnail courtesy of LeoPatrizi/ E+/ Getty Images-Creative #: 1279365974.
