By The Canadian Press on May 19, 2014.
Cowboys move cattle northwest of Calgary, May 28, 2013. Canadian cattle producers were in a U.S. court Monday, arguing for their right to free speech under the First Amendment. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntoshWASHINGTON – Canadian livestock producers are in a U.S. court, arguing for their free-speech rights under the First Amendment.
The case centres on whether the country-of-origin labelling rules that have harmed the meat industry are a violation of one of the most sacrosanct provisions of the American Constitution.
The Canadian companies and their U.S. and Mexican allies are arguing that they’re being compelled, by the American government, to divulge information for illegitimate reasons.
They say that violates their free-speech rights.
Numerous parties have standing in the case, which is being argued on the anti-labelling side by a lawyer for the American Meat Institute. Opposing arguments are being made by U.S. government lawyers.
Attorneys for both sides are being grilled today by 11 judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.
