Archive
13 Sep

Ruling relaxes libel rules for political bloggers

<p>An Ontario judge has tossed a libel action against three political bloggers, arguing that web-based political discussions are forums for “the parry and thrust” of vigorous debate and participants whose reputations have been attacked should fight back with words, not legal action.</p>

READ MORE
10 Aug

Policing the borders means policing Canadian journalism?

<p><em>Moments before Canada's Immigration Minister Jason Kenney delivered an important speech, <a href="http://rabble.ca/news/2011/07/policing-borders-means-policing-canadian-journalism">Rabble</a> journalist <strong>David P. Ball</strong> was kicked out of the press conference -- despite having a press invite and the complimentary cookie they gave him in hand. This story originally appeared on <a href="http://rabble.ca/news/2011/07/policing-borders-means-policing-canadian-journalism">Rabble.ca.</a></em></p>

READ MORE
18 Jan

What are the legal issues when retelling a potentially libelous life story?

Question: I work in the lovely City of Kenora, where an elder has asked me to help her tell her life story. The parts about living off the land and […]

READ MORE
11 Jan

New wiki proposes elements of “responsible” journalism

What is “responsible” journalism? Celebrating the first anniversary of an epochal Canadian libel judgment that will see this question litigated for years to come, a group of graduate students has […]

READ MORE
6 Dec

Newspaper orders CBC to reveal sources

In a unique case for media law, Fred Kozak, president of the Canadian Media Lawyers Association, will defend a CBC reporter’s journalist-source privilege — against another media outlet. This story […]

READ MORE
9 Nov

Globe ruling protects sources, allows use of leaked information

CommentaryBy Dean JobbThe Supreme Court of Canada has made it tough for lawyers, police and other investigators to “out” journalists’ sources. The court’s Oct. 22 ruling in Globe and Mail […]

READ MORE
22 Oct

Globe ruling sends strong message to protect sources

NewsThe Supreme Court of Canada has sent a strong message to judges, warning them that journalists should be ordered to identify confidential sources only in rare circumstances — especially the […]

READ MORE
20 Sep

Court unmasks anonymous media site posters

NEWS – In what may be the first case of its kind involving comments posted to a Canadian media website, the Halifax weekly The Coast has been ordered to identify […]

READ MORE
20 Sep

Source protection: ‘Disappointing’ ruling has silver lining

By Brian MacLeod Rogers On May 7 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled against the appeal brought by the National Post and Andrew McIntosh to set aside a search warrant […]

READ MORE
20 Sep

The upside of the confidential sources ruling

By Dean JobbThe next-day headlines focussed on the Supreme Court of Canada’s refusal to give journalists the constitutional right to protect sources, but they didn’t tell the whole story. There’s […]

READ MORE