Court extends stay of proceedings for 3 tobacco giants

An Ontario court has again extended an order suspending legal proceedings against three major tobacco companies as they pursue mediation with creditors. In a virtual hearing Tuesday, Ontario Superior Court Justice Thomas Mcewen agreed to extend the stay against JTI-MACdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. to March 31, 2021. Mcewen accepted the position of the companies that they were engaging in good faith negotiations with their creditors, and noted none of the other parties opposed the extension. The stay has been extended several times and was due to expire Wednesday. The order to put legal proceedings against the three tobacco giants on hold was first granted more than a year ago after the companies lost an appeal in a class-action lawsuit in Quebec.