The Government of Canada is facing a legal challenge for refusing to respect a federal law that requires reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

EcoJustice (formerly Sierra Legal) filed an Application for Judicial Review with the Federal Court on behalf of Friends of the Earth Canada that seeks to force the Government to comply with the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act.

Under the legislation, the government was legally required to publish, within 60 days, a plan to comply with commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. The September 19th Application alleges the federal Minister of the Environment is ignoring rule of law by filing a plan that flouts legislation binding the government to strict targets.

"Canadians have made it clear they want action on climate change - in fact, our domestic law requires it," says EcoJustice lawyer Albert Koehl. "Most Canadians just want the government to act now to reduce emissions and to live up to our obligations."

A Federal Court judge could theoretically respond to the application by ordering the government to file a new plan in keeping with the Kyoto Protocol, and Canadian law.

View September 20, 2007 Friends of the Earth Canada press release
View media backgrounder (PDF)
View September 19, 2007 Application for Judicial Review (PDF)
View September 20, 2007 Globe and Mail article on EcoJustice site
View September 20, 2007 Canadian Press article

http://www.manitobawildlands.org/news_item.asp?number=879

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