Prematurity, Precaution, and the Charter: Protection of Substantive Environmental Rights in Canada

• Author: Theresa A McClenaghan
• Pages: 174-187



PrematurityPrecaution

and the Charter

PR OTEC T ION O F S U BSTANT I V E 

EN V I R ON M E N TA L R IGH T S I N C A NA DA

Theresa A McClenaghan, LLB, LLM*

A. INTRODUCTION

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedomsc ould theore tical lyp rovide

protectionforsubsta ntiveenvironmental rightsTh iscouldbe doneby

wayofinterpretationoft heprovisionsofeither sectionguaranteeing

everyonetheright tolifel ibertyandsecu rityoftheperson orsection

whichprovidesthat everyindividual isequal beforeand underthe

lawandhastherighttotheequalprotectionandequalbenetofthelaw

withoutdiscri minationi nparticu larwithoutdiscr iminationbas edon

groundsenumeratedinsection

Howeversofarthe facts oft hedecided environmental cases con

sideringthes eclaimsa ndthe ruli ngsthereonhave notresulted in de

cisions that granted a na l remedyon Charter grounds T he cases to

dateinCanadaon sections andinconnect ionwithenviron mental

groundsfallintothreec ategories

 Courtsfoundthemaernotreadyforadjudicationduetoarguments

ofprematuritymootnessorjusticiability

 TheresaMcClenag hanisExecutiveDi rectorandCouns elwiththeCan adian

Environmenta lLawAssociationT hankstoJessicaK arbanstudentatlawatthe

CanadianEnvi ronmentalLawAss ociationforherassi stancewithre searchforthi s

chap ter

 Operation Dismantle Inc v the Que en SCROperation DismantleMetropoli-

tan Authority v Coalition of Citizens for a C harter ChallengeCanLIINSCA