Toronto Regional Senior Justice Warren Winkler has ruled that the BSE class action lawsuit involving approximately 100,000 Canadian cattle farmers against the Federal Government and Ridley Inc. will continue.

The lawsuit alleges that the BSE crisis, the closing of the US and other international borders to Canadian cattle and beef, and the loss of billions of dollars by the Canadian cattle industry, was the result of gross incompetence on the part of the Canadian government and negligence on the part of feed manufacturer Ridley Inc. The damages claimed are in excess of $20 billion.

Justice Winkler dismissed a motion brought by lawyers acting on behalf of the federal government and Ridley Inc. (Canada) to strike out the cattle farmers' claim. The motion to dismiss the claim against Ridley Corporation Limited (Australia) was granted.