A Montreal lawyer has filed a request for a class action lawsuit against McDonald鈥檚, claiming the popular restaurant chain鈥檚 marketing strategy illegally targets children.

Joey Zukran claims that the fast-food giant is violating Quebec鈥檚 consumer protection laws with ads that directly target children under the age of 13.

Zukran argued that McDonald鈥檚 is breaking the provincial rules with its in-store display cases, at children鈥檚 eye level, showcasing toys included in 鈥淗appy Meals." The advertisements for the toys on posters and screens inside the restaurant should also be considered a violation, the lawyer told CTV Montreal.

鈥淵ou have displays of something you would see in the store, which is prohibited by law because it incites young children to want to purchase the item just because of the toy,鈥� Zukran said.

It鈥檚 not the first time McDonald鈥檚 Happy Meal marketing tactics have come under fire. Quebec Weight Coalition, a lobby group working to prevent obesity, successfully forced the company to pay a fine for airing a commercial in 2009.

The coalition also recently filed a complaint about the company鈥檚 in-store advertisements to The Office of Consumer Protection, the province鈥檚 consumer watchdog. The group鈥檚 director, Corinne Voyer, said the fast-food company is notorious for aggressively marketing their products towards children, which can have an impact on their health.

鈥淭his marketing strategy is trying to create an effective relationship with the food and the toy and the brand with the kids,鈥� Voyer explained. 鈥淎lso, because it鈥檚 a promotion of a collection in a limited time, it also encourages kids to ask their parents to come back and buy another meal.鈥�

Voyer said the lobby group is not calling for an outright ban on Happy Meal toys, like one passed in Chile in 2012. Instead, the coalition plans to wait and see what happens with Zukran鈥檚 request for a class action lawsuit.

Recalling a failed attempt to ban Happy Meal toys in California in 2012, Zukran is confident his suit will succeed.

鈥淨uebec law is much more protective of its consumers and of children in this particular case,鈥� he said.

The claimants in the class action lawsuit are seeking compensatory and punitive damages from McDonald鈥檚 . It typically takes about a year for a judge to determine if a class action case may proceed.

McDonald鈥檚 declined to comment.

With a report from CTV Montreal鈥檚 Annie Demelt