(Adds quote, background; figures in U.S. dollars)
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Canada's top court ruled on
Friday that a group of Ecuadorean villagers could pursue a
multi-billion pollution lawsuit against Chevron Corp CVX.N in
the Canadian province of Ontario.
Chevron is contesting a ruling by Ecuador's highest court,
which said the firm had to pay $9.5 billion to clean up
contamination at a site it once owned. The villagers are now
going after Chevron assets for countries in Canada, Brazil and
Argentina.
"Canadian courts, like many others, have adopted a generous
and liberal approach to the recognition and enforcement of
foreign judgments," said the Canadian Supreme Court, upholding a
2013 ruling by the Ontario court of appeal.
In a ruling that affirms existing law, the court rejected
Chevron's argument that there was no legal basis for the
villagers to sue Chevron Canada, its subsidiary, which was not
part of the Ecuadorean judgment.
The villagers have been litigating the case for more than 20
years. They initially sued Texaco, which Chevron later acquired,
over contamination in the jungle around Lago Agrio, Ecuador,
between 1964 and 1992.
The Canadian Supreme Court said it was taking no position on
the merits of the original case against Chevron, which says the
American lawyer who helped secure the $9.5 billion Ecuadorean
settlement used corrupt means.
(The case is Daniel Carlos Lusitande Yaiguaje and others vs
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and Chevron Canada Ltd, file no 35682)
(Editing by W Simon)