Combine at dusk

Combine at dusk

Saturday, January 16, 2016

GFO Appeal on Neonicotinoid Decision to be heard in March

According to the Grain Farmers of Ontario ("GFO"), its appeal of the decision rejecting its challenge of Ontario's new neonicotinoid regulations will be heard by the Ontario Court of Appeal in Toronto on March 9, 2016.

I commented on this case back in November, 2015: This challenge by GFO still strikes me as an attack on government policy, something in which the courts are loathe to interfere (as was noted by Justice Akhtar in his dismissal of the case).  GFO's news release doesn't provide any details about the "proper grounds" for the appeal(s).  We may need to wait until the appeals are heard (if they proceed) and decisions rendered to see what "proper grounds" are being advanced.

I still think GFO has a very steep hill to climb in challenging what is a policy decision of the Ontario government.  Generally, the Courts will not interfere in policy decisions of the government unless those policies were made without authority or violate some overriding constitutional or other right.  Courts will interfere where government enacts a policy but fails to follow it.  That's not likely the case here.

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