news Ont. launches $50B tobacco lawsuit

[renegade9999]

TORONTO (CBC) - Ontario says it is going to sue the big tobacco companies for $50 billion.

The province said in a news release it is seeking damages "for past and ongoing health care costs linked to tobacco-related illness."

"Ontario is taking the next step towards recovering taxpayer dollars spent fighting tobacco-related illnesses. We are joining British Columbia and New Brunswick in initiating a lawsuit to recover health care costs from tobacco companies," said Attorney General Chris Bentley.

The $50 billion figure represents the cost the province says it has footed for providing health care to smokers since 1955.

Ontario set the framework for the lawsuit through legislation passed this year.

The Tobacco Damages and Health care Costs Recovery Act allows the province to sue for recovery of past, present and ongoing tobacco-related damages.

It also creates a method to determine the costs associated with tobacco-related illnesses and allocates liability by market share.

The tobacco companies have not responded.

None of the allegations contained in the lawsuit have been proven in court.

[samson]

This just may get good, if handled right it should be pretty interesting. On one hand you have the CMA and all it`s Doctors and their insurance companies lobbying the lawmakers (politicians) and on the other hand you have the tobacco companies who generate millions of tax dollars to the Government nevermind the millions at hand to lobby their point of view. This has the potential to educate a lot of us as to who is getting what, when & how much to shut-up. I`m guessing both side have a lot to hide here---I wonder if either side has the guts or the stupidity to mount a full scale attack---I`m just guessing here but I`m thinking this will be on the back page in less than a month as both sides will want this suit to just "go away" before the public finds out too much re their workings. JMO