Blog

27 Mar 2008

Right to launch environmental class action lawsuits

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

OTTAWA — Lawyers for two environmental groups will be intervening at the Supreme Court of Canada today, challenging a controversial Quebec Court of Appeal decision that could impair the rights of citizens to launch class action lawsuits over environmental harm. Represented by pro bono counsel from Ecojustice (formerly Sierra Legal Defence Fund) and the firm of Lauzon Bélanger, the Quebec Environmental Law Centre and Friends of the Earth Canada will be intervening in the landmark St. Lawrence Cement Inc. v. Barrette case.

26 Mar 2008

Le droit au recours collectif en matière environnementale

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

Intervention en Cour suprême du Canada de groupes environnementaux soucieux de préserver le droit au recours collectif en matière environnementale Pour diffusion immédiate OTTAWA, le 27 mars, 2008: Les avocats de deux groupes environnementaux agiront à titre d’intervenants à la Cour suprême du Canada aujourd’hui, pour contester la décision controversée rendue par la Cour d’appel

14 Jan 2008

Lawsuit challenges Baird over proposed Irving oil refinery

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

Fredericton, NB — Canada’s Environment Minister John Baird is facing a lawsuit for his lax treatment of Irving Oil’s proposal to construct a massive oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick. Environmental groups commenced the lawsuit to ensure that the multi-billion dollar refinery — which is expected to generate 3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year — faces the full scrutiny of an environmental assessment by the federal government.

28 Nov 2007

Canada under fire for flouting federal global warming law

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

(Ottawa, November 29, 2007) Just days before Canadian Environment Minister John Baird leaves for the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Canada is facing a second legal challenge for missing a key deadline under global warming legislation passed into law earlier this year. The government was served late yesterday with a second Application for Judicial Review for violating the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act (KPIA), the Canadian federal law that requires reductions in greenhouse gas emissions according to the Kyoto Protocol commitment.

20 Sep 2007

Canada facing legal challenge for breaking global warming law

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

OTTAWA — The Government of Canada is once again facing a legal challenge for failing to take action on global warming — this time for refusing to respect a federal law that requires reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Late yesterday an Application for Judicial Review was filed with the Federal Court seeking to force the Government to comply with the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act.

29 May 2007

First global warming lawsuit launched against Canada

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

(Ottawa, Canada, May 29, 2007) — Friends of the Earth Canada has launched a landmark lawsuit today against the Government of Canada for abandoning its international commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Filed in Federal Court in Ottawa by Canada’s foremost environmental law organization, Sierra Legal, the lawsuit alleges that the federal government is violating Canadian law by failing to meet its binding international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

24 May 2007

Dirty deal: Environment Minister exempts refinery from environmental impact assessment

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

(Ottawa, May 24, 2007) Following closely on the heels of Environment Minister John Baird’s decision to exempt industry from hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions, the Minister has today exempted from assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act the first Canadian oil refinery to be built since global warming became a concern. Irving Oil plans to build a colossal $7 billion dollar, 300,000 barrel/day refinery adjacent to its existing refinery in Saint John.

03 Apr 2007

Ten tips to make your home water-friendly

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

Ten tips to make your home water-friendly. Learn how to reduce water consumed by your faucets, toilets, appliances, lawn and garden.

05 Feb 2007

Independant inquiry exposes Canada’s lax enforcement on water pollution

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

(Toronto, February 5, 2007) Environmental groups commend the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) for the integrity of its work in the independent inquiry into Canada’s lax enforcement of the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations (PPER). The Factual Record released today, documents byzantine processes and questionable decisions in what should be straightforward measures to enforce a pollution law in place since 1992.

18 Dec 2006

CPP investment in repressive dictatorship cause for concern

Posted By: Friends of the Earth Canada Comments Off

(December 18, 2006, London, Ontario) Friends of the Earth-Canada and Canadian Friends of Burma will challenge the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board’s (CPPIB) use of pension fund monies to finance the government of Burma (also known as Myanmar), reputed to be the most vicious and repressive dictatorship in the world. The public meeting will take place tonight from 5 pm to 6:30 pm at the Four Points Hotel, 1150 Wellington Road South in London, Ontario. CPPIB is a major stockholder in Ivanhoe Mines, registered as a Canadian company holding 50% of the Myanmar Ivanhoe Copper Company — the other 50% is held by the Burma government’s Ministry of Mines.