A case now being heard in the Supreme Court of Canada will determine the fate of whistleblowers — and will have a major impact on press freedoms in Canada.

Lawyers for media outlets and press organizations are in court arguing against an attempt by a
Montreal ad firm to force Daniel Leblanc, a reporter with The Globe and Mail,
to reveal the identity of a key source. The source allegedly gave Leblanc information for a breakthrough story on the Quebec sponsorship scandal. The firm, Le Groupe Polygone, wants the name of the whistleblower for its defence against a federal lawsuit.

A Globe and Mail story reports on the courtroom arguments and provides some background. J-Source’s legal expert, Dean Jobb, put the issue in perspective in this post. A Facebook group includes more background and links.