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

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



PrematurityPrecaution

and the Charter

PROTECTIONOFSUBSTANTIVE

ENVIRONMENTALRIGHTSINCANADA

Theresa A McClenaghan, LLB, LLM*

A. INTRODUCTION

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedomscouldtheoreticallyprovide

protectionforsubstantiveenvironmentalrightsThiscouldbedoneby

wayofinterpretationoftheprovisionsofeithersectionguaranteeing

everyonetherighttolifelibertyandsecurity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discriminationinparticularwithoutdiscriminationbasedon

groundsenumeratedinsection

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

sideringtheseclaimsandtherulings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connectionwithenvironmental

groundsfallintothreecategories

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

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

 TheresaMcClenaghanisExecutiveDirectorandCounselwiththeCanadian

EnvironmentalLawAssociationThankstoJessicaKarbanstudentatlawatthe

CanadianEnvironmentalLawAssociationforherassistancewithresearchforthis

chapter

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

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