July 10th, 2008
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Globe and Mail Update, 2002-12-13
The Quebec Superior Court dismissed a constitutional challenge of the federal Tobacco Act by Canada's three main tobacco companies Friday, ruling against their argument that package labelling rules are unconstitutional.
Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. and JTI-Macdonald Corp. instituted legal actions asking the Superior Court of Quebec to declare that the portions of the federal Tobacco Act which deal with advertising are unconstitutional.
The tobacco companies argued that sections of Bill C-71 (The Tobacco Act) "violate the Canadian Charter of Rights' guarantee of freedom of expression by effectively banning all advertising and other promotional activities," says a statement released Friday following the ruling.
The decision was released Friday in a Montreal court by Judge André Denis.