Archive
17 Feb

Libel chill argued in SCOC

Here’s the press release from the Canadian Newspaper Association: Newspaper, Media Groups Ask Canada’s Supreme Court to Accept “Public Interest Responsible Journalism” Defence in Libel ActionsOTTAWA, Feb. 17 /CNW/ – […]

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11 Feb

Web 2.0 libel suits multiply

Feature The Web 2.0 movement ushered in an interactive Internet and put power in the hands of the people, tapping the so-called wisdom of the crowds to change the world […]

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15 Jan

Undercover blues

FeatureAfter going incognito for her Maid for a Month series, Jan Wong faces a deceit and invasion of privacy suit. So, asks Carolyn Morris in this feature in the Ryerson […]

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9 Oct

Libel law flawed despite reforms

CommentaryTwo recent media victories in defamation cases do little to fix an underlying problem: Canada’s libel laws favour protecting reputations over free speech, lawyer and Humber College media law instructor […]

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27 Aug

How I improved libel law: Mair

In June 2008, radio host Rafe Mair successfully fought off a libel lawsuit in a case that prompted the Supreme Court to set out standards of defamation. The case was […]

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28 Jul

Britian’s libel laws ‘a global menace’

CommentaryBritain’s libel laws are outdated and a gift to the censorious and powerful, who use them to silence critics and, increasingly, to try to shut down websites and bloggers. The […]

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28 Jul

Time to abolish blasphemous libel offence

CommentaryEngland has abolished the ancient common law offence of blasphemous libel, but the crime remains on the books in Canada. Until the offence fell into disuse in the 1920s, anyone […]

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3 Jul

The right to be ‘wrong-headed’

ByBrian MacLeod RogersMedia Lawyer, Toronto The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in WIC Radio Ltd. v. Simpson (2008 SCC 40) clarifies and strengthens a defence that had fallen into murky […]

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29 Jun

Top court clarifies ‘fair comment’ libel defence

NewsCanada’s highest court has clarified when an opinion is fair commentand protected from a libel suitin a ruling that overturns a libel award against Vancouver radio talk show host Rafe […]

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9 Apr

No libel please, we’re responsible journalists

By Dean JobbOntario’s Court of Appeal – the court that imported the defence of “responsible journalism” into Canadian defamation law – is being asked to use the new defence to […]

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