The government of Alberta is taking Big Tobacco to court, suing for $10 billion in health care costs and damages related to smoking since the 1950s. The province is suing some of the tobacco industry’s biggest players, including the Canadian units of Philip Morris International Inc., British American Tobacco PLC, and Japan Tobacco Inc.
The Alberta suit is similar to actions launched by several other Canadian provinces following a Supreme Court of Canada ruling last year that the Canadian government does not share legal liability for health care claims against tobacco companies. The Alberta suit is in its early stages; a case management judge was appointed by the Alberta Court of Queens Bench in late August.
