By Brieanna Charlebois The first youth-led climate trial in Canadian history has begun at the federal courthouse in Vancouver, where 15 plaintiffs argue that federal legislation violates their constitutional rights by continuing the trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. Catherine Boies Parker, who is representing the youth plaintiffs, said in her opening statement Monday that the case is not about the existence of climate change but rather whether the government is “constitutionally required to stop making it worse.” “The plaintiffs are asking this court to hold Canada legally accountable for its role in continuing and worsening the climate crisis that is causing harm,” she said. She said the Charter must provide youth a “degree of protection from their own government’s actions” that she says are contributing to the “greatest threat to… <\/p>\n
By Brieanna Charlebois The first youth-led climate trial in Canadian history has begun at the federal courthouse in Vancouver, where 15 plaintiffs argue that federal legislation violates their constitutional rights by continuing the trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. Catherine Boies Parker, who is representing the youth plaintiffs, said in her opening statement Monday that the case is not about the existence of climate change but rather whether the government is “constitutionally required to stop making it worse.” “The plaintiffs are asking this court to hold Canada legally accountable for its role in continuing and worsening the climate crisis that is causing harm,” she said. She said the Charter must provide youth a “degree of protection from their own government’s actions” that she says are contributing to the “greatest threat to... <\/p>\n