Mad Cow Class Action Against Federal Government IS A GO

[flounder]

Mad Cow Class Action Against Federal Government Obtains Green Light from Quebec Court


MONTREAL, June 17 /CNW/ - In a landmark decision released late Friday,
June 15, 2007 Quebec Superior Court Justice Richard Wagner granted
authorization to a billion dollar class action suit, ruling that the mad cow
class action on behalf of some 20,000 Quebec cattle farmers against the
Federal Government will proceed to trial. This is an important step in
obtaining compensation for farmers following Canada's mad cow scandal
involving over 100,000 Canadian cattle farmers, including Quebec's
20,000 cattle farmers.
In April 2005, class action claims were filed cooperatively by a team of
lawyers in the courts of Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta on behalf
of all commercial farmers of cattle resident in Canada as of May 20, 2003 (the
date at which Canada's International cattle and beef exports were frozen). The
claims allege that negligence on the part of the Federal Government caused the
BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) crisis in Canada and the corresponding
loss of income to Canadian cattle producers. The statements of claim may be
viewed at http://www.bseclassaction.ca
The class action lawsuits allege that the BSE crisis, the closing of the
U.S. and other international borders to Canadian cattle and beef, and the loss
of billions of dollars by the Canadian cattle industry were the result of
gross incompetence on the part of the Canadian government. Statistics Canada
confirmed in May of this year that Canadian cattle producers have lost more
than $9B in cash receipts since the BSE crisis began in May of 2003, an amount
which has been growing daily. To view this report, please visit
http://www.bseclassaction.ca
Quebec Attorney Gilles Gareau and Ontario's Cameron Pallett, co-counsel
in the Quebec action commented, "We applaud this decision as an important
milestone for all of Quebec's and Canada's cattle producers. We are confident
it will lead to eventual redress for hard-working farmers who have suffered
extensive damage and whose livelihoods have been compromised. It is a view
held by many experts that the BSE crisis would never have happened if the
Federal Government had not been asleep at the wheel. We would recommend that
all potential members of the class retain their financial records going as far
back as possible, as these records may be critical in determining the
financial damages they are entitled to recover.
According to documents filed in Quebec Court, government officials
jeopardized the safety of the Canadian food supply in failing to inform the
public that they had allowed 80 British cattle that were supposed to be in a
'monitoring program', to enter the human and animal food chain in Canada.
These same government officials' own risk analysis indicated that there was a
95% chance that 6 or more of these animals had BSE."
Although findings of liability against the Federal Government remain to
be made at trial, Mr. Gareau and his colleagues from across the country find
this a tremendous development for all Canadian cattle producers and urge them
to visit the BSE class action website to register and for more information
http://www.bseclassaction.ca

ABOUT CANADA'S BSE SCANDAL
--------------------------
BSE is an incurable neurological disease of cattle that is transmitted
when healthy cattle eat the remains of infected cattle or other ruminants. The
claim alleges that the federal government was negligent in enacting, or
failing to enact in a timely fashion, regulations with respect to permissible
ingredients in cattle feed. It is also alleged that the federal government
negligently allowed more than 80 British cattle to enter the human and animal
food chain, and failed to warn cattle producers of the dangers posed by this
release of BSE into the cattle food chain when the government realized what
they had done.



For further information: please contact the following attorneys who will
be available to comment Sunday and Monday: Québec, Me Gilles Gareau, Adams
Gareau, Telephone: (514) 848-9363, Cell: (514) 966-7555,
[email protected]; Ontario, Cameron Pallett, Barrister & Solicitor,
Telephone: (416) 923-1776, Cell: (416) 473-0460, [email protected];
Saskatchewan, Reynold Robertson, Robertson Stromberg Pedersen LLP, Telephone:
(306) 933-1348, Cell: (306) 230-9980, [email protected]; Alberta,
Clint Docken, Q.C., Docken & Company, Telephone: (403) 269-7656, Cell: (403)
619-3612, [email protected]

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/arch ... c5678.html

TSS

 

[Oldtimer]

I can't believe it-- Canadian cattlemen and producers suing their government over their perceived inept actions and misdeeds of said government-- and when US cattlemen and producers sued the US government over their perceived inept actions and misdeeds, the Canadians called the US cattlemen every nasty name in the book ;-) :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[skcatlman]

OT you can't believe that the class action is going on up here. It was first launched 3 years ago where it will go who only knows. But try to keep up one the news.
Here something is to ponder-i talked to two of the producers who received feed possibly tainted with blood and bone meal up here this spring have been paid out, as their animals were destroyed and buried. My question is does the same thing happen in the US when a feed ban violation occurs. Does the USDA or FDA do a complete trace out and destroy any animal that may have eaten feed that may have been tainted with banned feed substrates. Oh wait your guys still allow cattle to eat bovine blood and bone meal. Because you don't have a emdemic problem with BSE. :roll:
As the OIE recognizes that the risk levels of BSE are the same in the US and Canada. Maybe you guys should implement a feed ban as comprensive as ours.

 

[Oldtimer]

If you read the lawsuit-- it was for the same reasons-- your government (Canadian) allowing importing high risk materials/cattle from a foreign country (Britain)- and not putting in enough safeguards to protect the Canadian cattle herd and Canadian cattle industry...

Sounds like HYPOCRISY to me... And a possible preview of what could happen in the US if USDA is allowed to put the Packer bucks ahead of US consumer and US cattle herd safety.....

Remember R-CALF/US cattlemen didn't sue Canadians- they sued the US government and USDA for their illegal/misguided changing of the BSE import rules just for the benefit of the Multinational Packers....

 

[skcatlman]

Get it staight OT the reason for for the lawsuit is to recoup financial losses. Although they were caused by the BSE situation. For us up here it isn't about blaming the government for BSE but to recoup the losses.
Maybe you could make different posts on different sites. :roll:
I find it funny on another site a watchdog ( R-CALF ? ) group claims to have reports of canadian cows OTM crossing the border into the US. But the people claiming to have seen this going on want to remain nameless. So people who want something done aren't willing to stand up and prove what they are saying is true. Another example of unfounded accusations. :roll: :roll: :roll:
As for hypocricy OT you ought to know. And for the name calling i am sure there are more nasty words that have not been used yet.
Maybe R-CALF can sue the companies in the US breaking the feed ban rules, or the cattlemen who owned the positive indeginous animals in the US.

 

[Oldtimer]

I find it funny on another site a watchdog ( R-CALF ? ) group claims to have reports of canadian cows OTM crossing the border into the US. But the people claiming to have seen this going on want to remain nameless. So people who want something done aren't willing to stand up and prove what they are saying is true. Another example of unfounded accusations. :roll: :roll: :roll:

Wrong again Saskartoon :roll: -- not R-CALF...And when you are dealing with the mafia driven Packers and a USDA that is their pawn, you have to be a little careful about protecting witness's...You ever hear of Jimmy Hoffa ?

U.S. Group Claims Banned Canadian Cows Moving Across Border

USAgNet - 06/19/2007



A U.S. food safety group is complaining that older Canadian cows are making their way across the border despite the fact that they're still banned. In a letter this week to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Michael Johanns, Food and Water Watch claims cattle older than 30 months, thought to be at higher risk of mad cow disease, are "routinely" entering the U.S. food supply.



The watchdog group attached affidavits from five unnamed government inspection workers at slaughterhouses in three states. The workers say there have been direct orders from supervisors not to intervene when an older Canadian animal is being processed, in violation of regulations, reports the Canadian Press.



They say policies are inconsistent from one plant to another and complain they can't physically examine the animals to see if the age matches the paperwork.



The food safety group is opposed to U.S. plans to resume trade in older cattle, perhaps within months.



Meantime, a U.S. appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments next month in the latest bid by a persistent American ranchers group to restrict all Canadian cattle imports.



Canada and the United States have received got good marks on beef safety from the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health.



wisconsinagconnection.com

 

[skcatlman]

Yeah sure they will dissappear and never been heard from again. :roll: Maybe they should be put in witness protection progam 8). A more plausible explanation is negative advertizing. Affidavits have to be signed to stand up in our court system i presume the same is true in the US. So if the affidavits aren't signed they are about as important as sharmin 2 ply .
Sometimes people have to take a stand and if these employees are not willing to do it they beleive it isn't that important. Wasn't Hoffa a criminal 50 to 60 years ago. And you are saying nothing has changed in all that time.
To get to the fact of the matter this is all a moot point the OIE report recognizes that the BSE problem in the US and Canada are they same even though it is chaired by an american. Which will open the border to all cattle soon.
To me nothing more than a cop out that these people won't go public or are they scared of being charged with purgery.
Ot you must have strong legs you seem to make some pretty big jumps let me explain (R-CALF ? ) means is it influenced by that group not a statement of fact, so sorry to say you are the wrong once again.
By the way they canadian dollar hit .9504 US, looks more that likely the predictions will become truth that our Canadian dollar will be on par before christmas and settle at about $1.20 by next march. Who will you blame for that?

 

[Oldtimer]

The watchdog group attached affidavits from five unnamed government inspection workers at slaughterhouses in three states.

Saskartoon-- the article said nothing about them being unsigned-- it just said they were unnamed- (names not being released)-- which is one of the protections provided under the Whistleblower law.....

And the same type mafia as Jimmy Hoffa was involved in has controled/does control the beef/meat/slaughter industry for as many years....

Saskartoon-- since you know all-- and since the US and Canada both received "controlled risk" status from OIE-- would you ( or any Canadian) show me the part of OIE's "controlled risk" rule that allows the shipping of live OTM cattle and products containing SRM's back and forth between said designated countries :???:
Maybe its there- but I can't find it-- and none of Europe is doing live cow exporting/importing....

The only rule that allowed that was the "minimal risk" rule that USDA dreamt up to accomodate the Multinational Packers- which was why R-CALF and US cattlemen sued USDA-- so we wouldn't be in the same boat as the Canadians years down the line.....

 

[skcatlman]

OT i have never said and never will say that i know it all,that is only a statement an arrogant person would say.
If the rest of the world ( OIE ) looked at the facts and science and said that the US and Canada are both acessed controlled risk that means the threat in both countries is the same. So what would be the reasoning for closing the border to any cattle of any age? There is no more risk to a US citizen from eating beef raised and grown in the US than the same animal in canada.
As for your whistle blower laws it is kind of convenitant that people are allowed to make claims and not have to stand up and prove them. Accusations seem to be enough. Man am i glad i live in CANADA :heart: . Where you have to stand up and be accountalbe for signed affidavits. And keeping their names unknown too bad they don't have the guts to stand up for what they think they are seeing. Could it be a mix up like this spring where they see CA on a tag and don't think any canadian cattle are allowed in the US ?
Where is your proof that the mafia controls the packing industry? If yopur have hard evidence isn't it your duty to take it to law enforcement if you have proof of corruptiuon, collusion or raqueteering.
Show me where there are many countries in the EU that are acessed controlled. Great Britian is still finding 100's of positives every year. Are they controlled status ?
It seems to me that your group is graping at threads and is ready to fall into the abyss. But let's see what really comes of this in the future , personally it think we will see canadian OTMs crossing the border before the fall run.