{"id":26270,"date":"2019-10-11T12:10:29","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T16:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=26270"},"modified":"2019-11-06T03:26:58","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T08:26:58","slug":"statement-court-majority-agrees-that-premier-fords-actions-scrapping-cap-and-trade-was-unlawful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/26270\/statement-court-majority-agrees-that-premier-fords-actions-scrapping-cap-and-trade-was-unlawful\/","title":{"rendered":"Statement: Court majority agrees that Premier Ford\u2019s actions scrapping cap-and-trade were unlawful"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ecojustice and Greenpeace Canada respond to Ontario Divisional Court ruling on the 2018 cancellation of the province\u2019s cap and trade program.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

TORONTO, October 11, 2019<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 A suit brought by Greenpeace Canada, represented by Ecojustice, was dismissed by Ontario\u2019s divisional court today. However, the majority of the court agreed that Premier Doug Ford\u2019s decision to scrap the province\u2019s cap-and-trade program in 2018 without public consultation was unlawful.<\/p>\n

Ian Miron, lawyer for Ecojustice lawyer, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe launched this case to uphold Ontarians\u2019 legal right to be consulted on major changes to regulations that affect the environment, and although we did not receive the precise outcome we were hoping for, the majority of the court agreed that what Premier Ford\u2019s government did was illegal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe court majority agreed that Ontario\u2019s Environmental Bill of Rights requires the government to enter into a period of consultation prior to making changes that affect the environment \u2013 and these obligations were not complied with.<\/p>\n

\u201cA majority of judges also rejected the government\u2019s arguments that an election is a substitute for the legal obligations under the Environmental Bill of Rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe decision today does not alter the fact Ontarians want to see action to combat climate change, and Premier Ford is dragging the province in the opposite direction. Scrapping cap-and-trade not only undercut a successful program that was helping Ontario reduce climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions, it also cancelled 227 clean energy programs that would have benefit schools, hospitals, small businesses and public housing projects. It\u2019s especially concerning that the Ford government did this in a way that silenced groups like Greenpeace and Ontario\u2019s youth \u2013 who do not have a voice to vote, but stand to lose the most from climate inaction.<\/p>\n

\u201cPremier Doug Ford did not receive carte blanche to ignore the legal rights of Ontarians just because he won an election \u2013 and on this issue, the court agreed with us today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist for Greenpeace Canada, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are pleased that the majority of the court found that the Ford government acted illegally in its haste to cancel carbon pricing in this province, even if it declined to make a formal declaration. Ontarians are marching in the streets demanding real action in response to the climate emergency and we call on the Ford government to listen to the people this time, starting with an abandonment of its challenge of the federal carbon tax.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Additional Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n