Chris

La Rose youth in climate lawsuit goes to court to determine if case proceeds to trial

September 26, 2020

These young Canadians are the plaintiffs in the climate lawsuit La Rose v. Her Majesty The Queen suing the federal government for its role in climate change. Photo credit: Robin Loznak.

VANCOUVER, B.C. — On Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, the legal team representing 15 young Canadians in their climate lawsuit against the federal government will appear before the Federal Court. The government is asking the court to strike the plaintiffs’ claim before trial.

The hearing will begin 8:30am Pacific Time. You can watch the proceeding live by registering at this link. Once you’ve registered, another Zoom link will be sent to your email address, which you can click on when the hearing starts to join the Zoom session as an observer.

The case — La Rose et al. vs. Her Majesty the Queen — argues these youth are already being harmed by climate change, and the federal government is violating their rights to life, liberty and security of the person under s. 7 of the Charter and failing to protect essential public trust resources. The youth also allege that their government’s conduct violates their right to equality under s. 15 of the Charter, since youth are disproportionately affected by the effects of the climate emergency.

The young plaintiffs are represented by the law firms Arvay Finlay LLP and Tollefson Law Corporation, and are supported by the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation (CELL)David Suzuki Foundation, and Our Children’s Trust.

Caden Walsh

Law Student

Caden (he/him) is a JD Candidate at the University of Victoria, Faculty of Law, with interests in civil litigation, environmental litigation and community development. Caden’s last legal work experience was with the Department of Justice as a Co-op student, providing written submissions to the court and assisting in litigation matters.

Caden received his B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Northern British Columbia. Throughout his undergraduate degree, Caden worked summers as a production worker at various pulp and saw mills in Northeastern British Columbia. In his free time, Caden enjoys visiting his family and friends, enjoying the outdoors, walking his dog Toast, or competing in video game tournaments.

Sina Rudrum-Steinhauer

Law Student

Sina (she/her) is a J.D. candidate at the University of Victoria pursuing the concentration in environmental law and sustainability. She is interested in climate litigation and environmental constitutional law.

Sina received her B.A. from the University of Victoria in Environmental Studies and Sociology. She worked in the field of Environmental Sociology and has spoken at multiple conferences and events through her involvement with local non-profit organizations and well-established connections in her hometown in the Comox Valley. Sina is also the current co-president of the UVic Environmental Law Club and sits on the UVic Environmental Law Centre Board. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Ben Barnes

Law Student

Ben Barnes (he/him) is a J.I.D./J.D. candidate at the University of Victoria, Faculty of Law with a broad interest in general civil litigation and public law matters. He holds a Master of Public Administration where his capstone report focused on improving relations between Indigenous Peoples and local governments. Ben’s prior legal experiences include working with Carvello Law as a summer student drafting and revising legal materials on municipal and administrative legal issues, and participating in the B.C. Law Schools Competitive Moot and Denton’s Negotiation Competition.

Ben has over a decade of experience working with public sector actors, including several federal and provincial public service positions. He has also volunteered in several organizations including as Pro Bono Students Canada volunteer with the Upper Skeena Counselling and Legal Assistance Society, Advocacy Lead of the Victoria Pride Society, President of the Universities’ Model Parliament Society of British Columbia, and member of the Esquimalt Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee

In his off-time, Ben enjoys exploring new places, watching engaging films, and playing board games with friends.

Sean Vriesen

Law Student

Sean (he/him) is a J.D. candidate at the University of Victoria, pursuing the Concentration in Environmental Law & Sustainability. Sean is interested in public-interest environmental law, Aboriginal law, and constitutional law.

Sean received an Honours B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Victoria, focusing on philosophy of law. He came to law after an 11-year IT career in the private and public sectors, including a senior role in the BC Public Service. His volunteer experience includes work for RAVEN Trust and legal observation in Victoria on Lekwungen (Songhees & Esquimalt) territory. An avid mountaineer, trail runner, and cyclist, Sean is passionate about using the power of law to protect the living world we all call home.

EMMA CAMICIOLI

Law Student

  • 4th Place in 2023 Issac Moot
  • Fall 2022 CELL Cohort

Emma (she/her) is a J.D. candidate at the University of Victoria. She was a part of the Fall 2022 CELL cohort. In the 2023 Isaac Moot, her team placed fourth.

She is passionate about reconciliation, co-governance and making space for Indigenous legal orders. Environmental and natural resource issues have been a focus of her studies and were a reason why she pursued a law degree.  

Emma’s other interests include forest governance and management, and outside law she is employed as a wildland firefighter. When she’s not studying or working on a file, you can find her on skis or a bike, climbing a mountain or rappelling from a helicopter.

Katrina Darychuk

Law Student

Katrina (she/her) is a J.D. candidate at the University of Victoria, Faculty of Law with interests in criminal law, disability justice, and environmental litigation. Most recently, Katrina worked in Whitehorse, YK with the Public Prosecution Service and will clerk with the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 2025.  

She holds a BA from University of Toronto in Critical Equity Studies and Ethics and a diploma in Theatre Arts from Langara College. Prior to law, Katrina worked as theatre director and creator across Canada. Her passions include gardening, thrifting, and walking her beloved dog Joe.

Patrick McDermott

Law Student

  • Santa Cruz Superior Court
  • California Attorney General’s Office, Land Use and Conservation Section

Patrick is a J.D. candidate at the University of Victoria, Faculty of Law. He is passionate about public interest environmental law as well as criminal justice reform. Patrick has a B.A. from University of California, Davis, and has legal experience in both Canada and the United States. Upon graduation, he will be clerking at the BC Supreme Court in Vancouver. In his spare time, he can be found backpacking, woodworking, baking, or running with his dog.

Lydia Young

Articled Student

  • 2022 Student mentor in the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation | educational program
  • Associate Fellow, Centre for International Sustainable Development Law
 
Lydia received her J.D. from the University of Victoria in 2023 with a concentration in environmental law and sustainability and will be called to the British Columbia Bar in 2024. Lydia is pursuing an 2024-25 LL.M. in Global Environment and Climate Change Law at the University of Edinburgh.
 
As an articling student at Tollefson Law, Lydia has gained experience working on environmental, constitutional and natural resource litigation and has sat at counsel table before the BC Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal. Lydia is pursuing a career that focuses on biodiversity conservation, natural resource law, green economies and sustainable development.

Anthony Ho

Of Counsel

  • Of Counsel at the Tollefson Law
  • Former Program Coordinator at the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation 
 

Anthony Ho is Of Counsel at Tollefson Law. His practice focusses on environmental, natural resources, and administrative law.

He has experience in environmental assessments, regulatory hearings, judicial reviews, and civil trials and has appeared before the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, the BC Supreme Court, and various tribunals including the National Energy Board and BC Environmental Appeal Board.

He received his J.D. from the University of Victoria in 2014 and was called to the British Columbia bar in 2015. After his call, he was a staff lawyer at the UVic Environmental Law Centre before practising as an associate at Tollefson Law for 7 years, where he remains Of Counsel.

From 2016 to 2024, he was also the Program Coordinator at the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation (CELL). In that capacity, he helped deliver CELL’s educational program, which trains law students in litigation practice skills through exposure to real-life pieces of public interest environmental litigation.

Aside from his J.D., Anthony also holds a Master of Public Administration (UVic ’14), a B.Sc. in environmental sciences (UBC ’10), and a B.A. in political science (UBC ’10). He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Law and Society at UVic.

Chris Tollefson

Principal

  • Professor of Law, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria
  • Founding Executive Director of CELL – Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation
  • Past President of Ecojustice
 
Chris is the founding principal of Tollefson Law and a Professor of Law at the University of Victoria. He has degrees from Queen’s, University of Victoria and Osgoode Hall Law School, and clerked at the BC Court of Appeal.
 
Chris has appeared at all levels of trial and appeal court, and before various environmental regulatory boards and tribunals. He was counsel to BC Nature and Nature Canada during the Northern Gateway and Trans Mountain pipeline hearing processes.


 
He has published on a diverse range of environmental and natural resource topics including forestry, contaminated sites, environmental governance and assessment, eco-certification, and access to justice. The fourth edition of his national environmental textbook (co-authored with Prof. Meinhard Doelle) was published by Thomson Reuters in 2023.
 
He loves the outdoors, late night pool games, early morning reno projects, and dog sitting.