Lawyers for the two remaining BSE lawsuits against the federal government, bureaucrats and feed maker Ridley will meet in a Montreal court April 19 to ask for a merger.
The class action lawsuits on behalf of 135,000 cattle producers claim the federal government’s negligence around BSE led to closed borders for Canadian beef and livestock and created financial hardship for all involved.
The April court case will ask the Quebec Superior Court to merge the lawsuits of Donald Berneche of St.-Gabriel de Brandon, Que., and Bill Sauer of Ontario. Two previous lawsuits by Alberta cattle producers have already been merged with the Sauer class action suit.
Last January, Ridley settled out of court, with no admission of liability. It paid $6 million that has since been rolled into the remaining lawsuits.
No date has yet been set for the Ontario suit.
The next information meeting on the lawsuits will be held March 31 in Red Deer.
