The lawsuit argues that the rules surrounding who has the right to speak on various legal issues have been relaxing and animal rights advocates should be permitted a voice in Canada’s courtrooms.
MICHELLE McQUIGGE: ‘A retired Toronto lawyer has gone to court in a bid to secure the right for advocates to speak up on behalf of animals in legal settings. The case began earlier this year when Sandra Schnurr filed a notice of application against five retail giants selling glue traps, or devices commonly used to catch rodents.
Schnurr argued that the traps subject mice and rats to agonizing, prolonged deaths and filed an application seeking to ban Canadian Tire, Walmart, Home Depot, Home Hardware and Lowe’s from selling them. The retailers, in turn, filed a motion to dismiss Schnurr’s complaint on the grounds that she did not have standing to bring such a matter before the courts.
But Schnurr argued that the rules surrounding who has the right to speak on various legal issues have been relaxing and animal rights advocates should be permitted a voice in Canada’s courtrooms. The issue of standing was argued before Ontario Superior Court Justice Lorne Sossin last week and should be decided in the coming months.
Schnurr said questions around standing need to be resolved before her original notice about glue traps can proceed. If standing is granted, she said the case will have struck a blow for animal rights regardless of the outcome of the original complaint. “If we succeed at this stage, even if we ultimately lose on the glue trap issue, the fact that we will have succeeded in getting public interest standing to speak for animals would be huge,” Schnurr said in a telephone interview…
Schnurr said those seeking public interest standing must meet three criteria by demonstrating they’re raising a genuine issue of justice, have a real stake or interest in the subject, and using court resources properly by raising an issue that can be reasonably and effectively addressed in that setting. Schnurr’s factum said animal rights advocates meet all three criteria’. SOURCE…
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